


UnderIce

by PunnyPearl



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Alaska, I don't know much about alaska but I'm trying, Icy climates, Mentions of Death, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Strange social constructs for humans and monsters, Strangers to Friends, Strangers to Friends to Lovers, You are a Ranger, like you could kill a bear if you really tried to, mentions of being trapped, monsters are still underground at the beginning of the story, mountain living, you practically own a forest, you're really strong
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-16
Updated: 2021-03-08
Packaged: 2021-03-10 20:07:14
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 21
Words: 37,891
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28102920
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PunnyPearl/pseuds/PunnyPearl
Summary: You fall to your knees and look down into the abyss. You stare it in the eyes for a long moment. The abyss stares back. Except… The abyss has little white pinpricks as eyes. That’s… New. You place your gloved hand to the ice, right over where the Abyss’ eyes are. It blinks, and soon, a skeletal hand is moving and being placed against yours. Another crack, another echo and soon, the ice right below you is falling away
Relationships: Alphys (Undertale) & Reader, Asgore Dreemurr & Reader, Ice Wolf & Reader, Lesser Dog (Undertale) & Reader, OCs & Reader, Papyrus (Undertale) & Reader, Papyrus (Undertale)/Reader, Sans (Undertale) & Reader, Sans (Undertale)/Reader, Undyne (Undertale) & Reader
Comments: 225
Kudos: 332





	1. singing ice

It’s cold. Not that the temperature can bother you or anything. You’ve lived in cold environments all your life and have thrived in the harsh climates surrounding your home and place of work. However, this is a different type of cold. The cold you can only feel at the peak of the winter months, when everything is still and the layers of ice sheeting everything are thick and impenetrable. Perfect weather to listen to the echoes.

‘Singing Ice’ is a phenomenon where echoes are made from cracking ice, usually heard from lakes or icy streams. There is one such stream close to your house that you stumbled upon one cold winter night. The noises coming from the clear ice were strange and terrifying at first. It sounded as if some strange, ancient creature was going to jump out and steal you away into the darkness of the night. But after a while, the sounds became soothing. Whale songs. Wind rushing through an empty cave. A time before machine, before man. Truly, the sounds were ancient. But they did not seek to harm. They only wanted to coexist and to teach. That night alone on the icy tundra was the first of many.

You place your hooded head to the frozen river, soaking in the echoey sounds making their way to your ears. Each sound was new and unique, a cacophony of different languages and different times wanting to make themselves known. For a while, you stay there, completely motionless. The sounds soothe your heart and you feel relief from your long day at work. It takes some time for you to return to a standing position, and the evidence is clear of where you were lying; a smoothed down section of the ice just clear enough to peek into the water below. Except… There isn't any water below. Just the abyss. Dark and brooding. Those who enter will never leave.

You shudder and prepare to move back off the ice when a particularly loud crack makes you stumble. You fall to your knees and look down into the abyss. You stare it in the eyes for a long moment. The abyss stares back. Except… The abyss has little white pinpricks as eyes. That’s… New. You place your gloved hand to the ice, right over where the Abyss’ eyes are. It blinks, and soon, a skeletal hand is moving and being placed against yours. Another crack, another echo and soon, the ice right below you is falling away, allowing you to grab hold of… Something.

You grasp it in your built arms, years of chopping your own wood and hunting your own game giving you the strength to grip and pull the thing from the frozen water. In a manner of seconds, you have whatever it is in your warm embrace. It shivers and pulls you closer, prodding into your padding and giving you a sense of its size. Small… So small and frail. You open your first jacket and place it around the thing shivering in your arms to allow more warmth among the two of you.

“h-how did you do t-that?” The thing stutters out as you run a gloved hand over its skull. Sounds male, probably in its early twenties… You pull him closer and away from the crack that is slowly expanding behind him.

“I just… Did it? I’m not sure what happened, but I felt Determined to pull you out of there.” You say questioningly. The… Skeleton, you think, cautiously nods his head but says nothing else, burrowing further into your warmth and edging away from the gaping hole. That is, until a voice booms from below.

“~~~~! ~~~~, ~~~~~ ~~~ ~~~?” You can’t make out what they’re saying, but the skeleton in your arms perks up and the voice and slowly creeps closer to the edge of the hole you somehow created.

“papyrus! i’m here, i think… i think i’m on the surface!” He shouts down, presumably to whoever was just shouting from below. You edge your way closer to the hole in order to hear the response.

“OH! THAT’S GOOD TO HEAR! WAIT A SECOND- THE SURFACE?! HOW DID YOU- WHAT DID YOU DO TO MAKE IT UP THERE?!” The voice shouts, very loudly if the strain in their voice is anything to go by, but you can still barely hear it from where you are. The skeleton seems to have no such trouble hearing it, however, as he immediately responds.

“this human- i don’t know their name- they were walking on the ice on the ceiling and they saw me. they pulled me through, somehow.” The skeleton shouts, but to you, his voice is still calm and smooth. You peek into the hole and see a figure, covered in white and red, slowly making their way up an incline that you would’ve thought was just an old dead tree if you were to see it through any other opening.

“A HUMAN! BROTHER, HAVE YOU CAPTURED THEM YET? WE MUST GET THEM TO UNDYNE, POSTHASTE!” The voice shouts, somewhat clearer now. They are still making quick work of the incline and you have a feeling it’s leading up to where the skeleton was before.

“bro, i don’t think we have to capture humans anymore… if i’m on the surface, then surely other monsters will be able to make it here, too!” The skeleton is shaking like crazy, you realize. There’s a slightly warm breeze permeating from the opening in the ice, so he must have come from a warm, closed environment. He’s probably freezing right now. You cautiously take off yet another layer of jackets and place them over his shoulders. He looks back at you and his eyelights seem to waver for a second before he turns back to the hole to continue talking with his brother.

“hurry up and get up here so we can try my theory.” The skeleton shouts at his brother and burrows further into his jackets. You watch curiously as the white figure becomes more discernible. The white is actually bones, pearly and shimmering slightly in the reflected moonlight. The red appears to be a scarf, boots and gloves, which protect him from the jagged edges of the incline. Slowly, his trek comes to an end and he is staring you in the eye, little sockets filling with white lights as they come to meet your face. You feel that if you were any farther away from him, the lights wouldn’t be visible at all.

“WELL, SANS, THAT IS CERTAINLY A BIG HOLE YOU FOUND YOURSELF. PULL ME UP, WILL YOU, SO THAT I MAY JOIN YOU ON THE SUPPOSED ‘SURFACE’.” The skeleton is incredibly loud, considering your close quarters, but his brother doesn’t even flinch and reaches down to drag the taller one up. Except… Something stops them from even touching hands. Like some sort of magnetic force suddenly decided to start working, their hands completely missed and when they tried to push forward to meet eachother again, the same phenomenon happened.

“Maybe I can help? I was the one to drag you out in the first place, remember?” You offer when the shorter skeleton begins growling in frustration. He looks you over for a moment, cold and calculating, before sighing and moving to the side, allowing you to reach into the hole yet again.

The feeling is much the same as before. A crack. An echo. Ice crumbles and a bond is formed. You latch onto the hands grasping for your own and with one strong pull, the lanky skeleton is sitting blearily on the frozen floor. It only takes a moment for him to start shivering and you quickly pull a layer of clothing from your body to wrap around him. The next layer, conveniently, is a thick blanket that can cover both his bare legs and his upper body. He takes the item gratefully and bundles himself up before falling to his back and staring up at the sky.

“Is This Truly The Surface, Sans?” The tall skeleton asks as he stares at the cloudy sky overhead. It’s going to snow soon. You should head back home. You sit down beside the skeleton and slowly take your earmuffs off to place on his skull.

“dunno. whaddya say, kiddo? wanna make us the two happiest monsters in the world?” Sans- that’s what he’s been referred to a few times now- asks.

“While marrying you two may sound appealing, I simply can’t say yes.” You quip, which causes his sockets to widen before a full belly laugh springs from his… throat? The taller skeleton groans in pure misery and you smirk before clearing your throat and giving a serious answer. “If by surface, you mean on the Earth’s crust, then yeah. Welcome to the surface. Land of the living, and the dead now, apparently.”

More snickers fill the secluded land the three of you are occupying. Eventually, you fall silent and glance at the sky. It really is getting colder… You hear the chattering of teeth and rattling of bones.

“Hey, I know we just met, but I don’t know if you guys will be able to go back down and I don’t want you sleeping in the cold. You don’t have to take me up on this, but you’re welcome to sleep in my house. If not, I also have a side cabin. It’ll be a bit colder than my actual house, but I can set the fire up and bring in some pelts.” You offer and the skeletons glance at eachother before the shorter speaks up.

“that’s real generous of you, you even brought us to the surface and everything… i don’t know what to say.” Sans says and rubs the back of his neck.

“Just say yes. Or no, it’s really your choice. I just don’t want you guys freezing to death out here. Worst way to go, really. Believe me, I almost did it myself.” You chuckle good naturedly, but the memory of the event still sends shivers down your spine.

“If you guys need more time to come to a decision, I’ll still be up for a few hours. My house is a straight line that way. It’s the only one for miles, so you don’t have to worry about accidentally breaking into someone else’s place.” You offer, then stand up, wipe the frozen chunks off your back, and head in the direction you pointed in. It doesn’t take long for two pairs of steps to fall into place behind you.

The walk to your house is silent, but not uncomfortably so. An aura of awe surrounds your trio, for the two monsters, they are in awe of the world surrounding them. For you, it is an awe of the company you’re currently in. Who can say that they’ve met two walking, talking skeletons with a straight face and be completely serious? Mental asylumists, that’s who. Soon, your house and its side cabin come into view. Neither are particularly large and the cabin is mostly used for storage, but you’re quite proud of both dwellings.

Your actual house has a nice wood feel to it, everything there is made of dark birch and the like, most of it handmade. You have a decent sized kitchen and three bedrooms, a single bathroom and a game room, which substitutes as a living room when you have guests over. The cabin, meanwhile, has a single bedroom, bathroom, small kitchen and living room that is fully furnished with some of the most luxurious furs and pelts you can get. Your dad usually stays there when he comes for visits, not because he doesn’t like you, but because he says it makes him feel like a real man. He caught most of the pelts that decorate the place, with you chipping in on the rest.

“There’s only one room in the cabin, but you’d probably be more comfortable in the living room anyway. There are some pelts inside that should be comfortable enough, even if you want to sleep on the floor. I don’t have any food stocked inside, so if you want anything you’ll have to hunt for yourselves or ask me for some rations. Um… What else… The water is pretty cold, so if you want hot water, you’ll have to boil it or come to the main house.” You say as you step in front of the cabin. The skeletons stare at you in what you can only assume is shock as you pass them the key to the cabin.

“This is the only key to this cabin. If you don’t want me coming inside, you only need to lock the door. I wish you both a good night.” You tell them, then give one final nod and walk into your own house. Soon, you’re falling asleep amongst the smell of hickory smoke and dried herbs.

(Sans’ POV)

The human is very strange… They took them out of the underground like it was nothing, offered them a place to stay and provisions, and gave them the only means to come in and out of their new dwelling. No supervision, no prying questions, no nothing. Just the basic essentials and a small smile. Even with all of that, they never seemed untrustworthy and only spoke the truth. Sans wanders into the cabin and finds stacks upon stacks of evenly chopped logs. There is a small bunch already in the large fireplace and kindling nearby to keep the fire going. Papyrus waltzes up and lights it quickly, huddling against his handwoven blanket while he scours the place for possible traps and other things. Sans settles on the couch facing the fireplace and just stares at the crackling flames before realizing… He never got their name.

Papyrus returns with a plethora of pelts and furs under his arms, a wide smile brightening his face. “I THINK THE HUMAN IS TRUSTWORTHY. THEY HAVE YET TO DO ANYTHING APPALLING AND THEIR STATS ARE NORMAL FOR THEIR AGE. WHAT DO YOU THINK, SANS?” Papyrus questions Sans, who burrows into the nest his brother had started to build around him.

“i think they’re okay.” Papyrus continues to ramble about the human, but Sans hardly listens. Rather, he’s too absorbed in wondering why the pelts smell like a mixture of the human and some male…

*Sans under the ice, looking up at this bear of a human: wowie.  
You, looking at a skeleton drifting under ice: Ah shoot. Not another one.


	2. Morning After

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which you get a cooking lesson from a skeleton.

You awake the next morning to loud knocking at your door. Huh. Your family didn’t say anything about visiting this week… You bundle up a bit to stave off the cold and make your way to the front door, only to meet eyes with a fur covered chest. Last time you checked, your family were all shorter than you, save for your dad, who could contest with a bear for height and raw strength.

Your eyes make their slow ascent up the chest to a pearly white skull, which is when the events of last night finally click. Skeletons. Monsters. Surface. Sans and… Papaya? No, that doesn’t sound right…

“Oh! Hello, tall skeleton. It’s nice to see you’re getting used to the cold. It usually takes a few days of hibernation for my family to finally burrow themselves out of the covers.” You joke lightheartedly, and he lets out a huff of a laugh. His face isn’t in it, though. He seems worried.

“Ah, but you’re not here for small talk. Is there something you need? You’re always welcome in my house, no matter the occasion. I still need to make breakfast, but if you could wait a few minutes, it should be ready.” You say, and gesture inside. The skeleton wrings his hands for a few moments before nodding and following you into the game room. You ignore his behaviour and head into the doorway to the right, where your kitchen waits to be used.

“I was thinking oats and some good ol’ canadian bacon. Whaddya say? Sound good?” You question as the skeleton steps into the threshold.

“WHILE THE GREAT PAPYRUS IS THANKFUL FOR YOUR OFFER, I MUST REFUSE. SANS AND I CANNOT EAT HUMAN CUISINE AS IT, IN MY BROTHER’S WORDS, ‘GOES RIGHT THROUGH US’.” The skeleton, Papyrus, hangs his head, as if his words were shameful. You just chuckle a little and shake your head before turning back to the stove.

“If that’s the case, what do you guys eat? Do you eat at all?” You question and watch as the water in your pot begins to boil before pouring in the oats. In the next pan, your bacon begins to pop.

“OF COURSE WE EAT! MAGIC BASED FOODS DISSOLVE IN OUR SYSTEMS AND WE TAKE IT IN AS NOURISHMENT. HOWEVER, I FEEL IT WOULD BE BETTER FOR OUR FIRST MEAL TO BE WARM. IT’S A SPECIAL OCCASION, AFTER ALL. OUR FIRST SURFACE MEAL!” Papyrus claps his hands in glee and you giggle at his excited nature. He’s pretty cool, wanting to procure a warm meal for him and his brother. You plate your food and wash the dishes before gesturing at the stove in an ‘all yours’ sort of way.

“AH, THANK YOU, HUMAN. HOWEVER… I FEAR I WILL NEED HELP. I’VE BEEN TOLD MY COOKING SKILLS AREN’T EXACTLY… EDIBLE. AND YOU SEEM TO KNOW YOUR WAY AROUND THE KITCHEN! SO I WAS WONDERING IF, MAYBE, YOU’D TEACH ME HOW TO COOK?” He asks, hope in his eyes as he looks down at you. How can you say no to that? With a heavy heart, you leave your warm breakfast to cool on the counter and roll up your sleeves, preparing to teach the heck out of this tall skeleton.

“We’ll do something simple, then. What ingredients do you have?” You question, and Papyrus takes out his phone, listing eggs, tomatoes, bell peppers, parmesan cheese and spaghetti noodles. You nod along and request he take everything but the noodles out. He seems confused, but takes the ingredients out. From his phone. You’re flabbergasted, but too tired and determined to make a decent meal to really care.

“We’re going to be making omelettes. The first step is whisking the eggs. I’ll crack the first one, and you copy me, okay?” You question, and Papyrus nods and watches as you crack one of the golden eggs he had handed you against the counter before placing the yolk and whites into a bowl. He follows your movements, but puts too much force into cracking the egg and ends up splattering the remains across the counter. You both stare blankly before a short burst of giggles erupts from your lungs. Papyrus follows along with his own ‘Nyeh heh heh’s and the two of you clean up the mess before you show him once again how to crack an egg, putting an emphasis on how much force should be used.

“Next step is to chop the vegetables. There are some parts of tomatoes and bell peppers that people prefer not to eat, so I’ll show you what to avoid in each and let you finish cutting them up.” You offer, then turn to the vegetables. You pluck the stem from the tomato and dice it up, then move onto the pepper and cut out the stem and take out the seeds. You place the seeds to the side to eat later, then dice up the pepper just as finely as the tomatoes.

“Okay, your turn” Papyrus picks up the knife, though he doesn’t seem sure what to do with it. You give him a patient smile and he regains some of his confidence. It takes a few attempts, but he manages to cut the plants into decent sized portions. Now for the fun part.

You light the burner and pour the eggs into the pan, watching as they begin to bubble before adding about half of the plants and grating the parmesan over them. In one deft movement, you have the omelette perfectly folded and looking amazing. Papyrus claps at your showmanship and you slide the golden, oozing meal onto a plate.

“Bone appetit.” You quip, much to the other’s annoyance. Still, he places the meal to the side and begins to work on the second omelette. It’s a little lopsided and doesn’t look fully cooked, but you give it a pass. Papyrus beams as you give him a thumbs up and he makes the trek back to the cabin. You turn back around and look at your own now-cold meal. Looks like another lonely breakfast.

(Papyrus & Sans POV)  
“SANS! WAKE YOUR LAZY COCCYX UP! I’VE BROUGHT BREAKFAST.” No reply. Papyrus peers down at the ball of fur his brother became some time in the night and nudges a few of the pelts away, but more just fall back in the others’ place. Papyrus sighs, sets down the plates, and begins to dig through the different blankets until he spots pure white. There he is! Oh wait, no, that’s an arctic fox.

Eventually, Papyrus manages to dig his brother out of his burrow and sets him upright on the couch. Sans seems to have latched onto a particularly large fur; not dissimilar to that of a bear’s pelt. When Papyrus leans down to pry it from his brother’s hands, he catches a whiff of the scents permeating from it… The human. They were the one to take down this mighty beast.

Of course, Papyrus always knew humans were strong. All it took was killing intent and they could have a monster on their knees. But to take down a fully physical creature like a bear… An adult one, no less, and to use its remains as a nice winter coat… Papyrus is actually impressed. He feels the urge to go and ask the human to train him, but decides that getting his brother fed is more important.

“BROTHER! WAKE UP! I DON’T WANT YOUR FIRST BREAKFAST ON THE SURFACE TO GET COLD.” Papyrus shouts, startling Sans out of his peaceful slumber. Sans sits up, alert but not entirely awake. He looks around, scared of something that does not exist. When his eyes catch on the pearly white of Papyrus’ bones, he finally calms down and gets rid of his death grip on the bear pelt by unceremoniously dropping it to the ground. Only a moment later, he stoops to pick it up and wraps it across his shoulders.

“sorry bro. guess i was just bone tired.” Sans chuckles a little as his brother lets out a huff and turns his back to him. When Papyrus turns back around, it’s with two plates in his hands, both filled with better-than-average looking omelettes. Sans eyes the dishes suspiciously before taking the one that is offered to him (the one shaped like a perfect half-moon) and gently stabs at it until he can determine the ingredients. Tomato, bell pepper and parmesan cheese. Sans is incredulous. Papyrus has never made a decent meal in his life, but suddenly, he’s cooking like he’s been decent at it for ages. Still, Sans would never look a gift horse in the mouth and dives in before it chills too much in the winter air surrounding him.

The omelette turns out to be one of the best meals he’s ever had. It’s gooey and filling and Sans can feel whatever magic was sapped out of him by escaping the underground yesterday filling him back up. He hadn’t even really noticed he was missing any magic at all, but it’s pretty obvious when he begins to float a bit. He must’ve been using gravity magic on himself to keep him upright earlier without even realizing it.

“wow paps, this is really good. where’d you learn to cook like this?” Sans asks, unabashed about the slight insult to his brother’s cooking. He was the one to admit that it was bad in the first place, after all.

“THE HUMAN ALLOWED ME TO COME IN AND USE THEIR KITCHEN! IN FACT, THEY DIDN’T SEEM APPALLED AT ALL WHEN I ASKED IF THEY WOULD TEACH ME HOW TO COOK.” Papyrus says with glee in his voice. Sans lets out a slightly nervous laugh at this new information. Even if the human seems trustworthy for right now, it’s possible they just want them to lower their guard before they strike. As if they were listening to his thoughts, there is a knock at the door, sturdy and just loud enough to demand attention. Sans is loath to admit he actually kind of digs it.

Papyrus jumps up and answers the door, where the human is standing, bundled up in layer after layer of furs and scarves. It makes their legs seem scrawny, but Sans suspects they are actually quite shapely and powerful. At least enough for them to keep a strong gait through all of the snow surrounding them.

“HUMAN! HOW GOOD TO SEE YOU SO SOON AFTER OUR LAST MEETING. IS THERE SOMETHING YOU NEED?” Papyrus asks politely, but there is a clear hint of nervousness in his tone. The human could decide at any moment that they don’t want the brothers in their cabin any longer and kick them out into the snow. Instead of the answer he had been dreading, their smooth voice fills his skull, setting him at ease.

“I was just going into the forest to care for some of the wild animals. I was wondering if you two might like to come so we can discuss future actions. I’m not going to kick you out unless you guys decide you want to leave, but I feel it would be best if we had at least some basic knowledge about the others and maybe some safety precautions in case someone decides to come pay me a visit.” They offer, and point in the direction of the surrounding forest. They have a large pack in one hand that smells strongly of herbs, dried meat and different fruits and veggies. Sans wonders for a minute why a human would need to feed the wild animals of the forest when he decides he doesn’t need to know.

“i’m okay with going if you are, bro.” Sans speaks up, startling Papyrus out of whatever reverie he was in. Papyrus nods enthusiastically and begins bundling up. If his experiences from yesterday were anything to go by, he was going to need a lot more than a couple layers to keep him warm. Luckily, there is a drawer in the single bedroom in the Cabin filled with large male clothing. It’s all a little wide on him, but Papyrus makes do. Meanwhile, Sans has to roll up the sleeves and cuffs of his pants to even move comfortably. Once they’re done changing, they step towards the door but stop when they see the many pelts wrapped around the humans shoulders. Maybe they should take some, too? Sans bolts for the bear coat he had been snuggling with, intent about asking about its origins while Papyrus reaches for what looks like a deer's pelt. It suits him.

(Your POV)

“Ah, looking warm, fellas. I see you found my favorite coat, Sans. She was a lovely companion, strong and resilient. She died giving birth two summers ago. I cared for her young a while and taught them all I thought they would need.” You say, a reminiscent smile crossing your features. Sans feels kind of bad for wearing the coat now, and is about to turn around and change when you wave your hand.

“I think she would’ve wanted you to wear it. It looks good on you, at any rate. Gives you this warm, comfortable aura.” You say, then focus back on the road ahead of you. Sans watches as you avoid certain darkened patches of land. They’re muddy and the one time he stepped in one, he felt he would fall into the abyss and never return. The feeling sent shivers down his spine and he deemed your way of walking much better.

Papyrus, meanwhile, was very interested in the different flora surrounding the group. He would point at a tree and ask its name. You answered every time. He would point at an herb and ask what it does. You answered then, too. It was nice and quiet, just the three of you trouncing through the woods and kicking up piles of snow. You start to feel at peace, before something catches your eye and you duck down.

“Keep your heads down and your voices lower. There are wolves ahead. They’ll pass us in three minutes but we shouldn’t move for five. Stay as still as possible.” You warn, your voice barely loud enough to reach the monster’s ears. They duck down beside you, not even noticing their furs blending in with the blacks and browns surrounding them. For a while, it is silent. Five minutes pass tensely before you deign it safe to stand back up. Papyrus pops up beside you and glances around. He doesn’t see any potential threats and tells you as much. Sans keeps his head low until you agree that it’s safe to move on.

“Wonderful practice round, boys. I’m proud of you.” You tell them after walking a whole minute in tense silence. Sans nearly trips over himself at the sudden noise while Papyrus stutters out a confused sound.

“I just wanted to test your reflexes and how you deal with dangerous situations. These woods aren’t generally very dangerous, but one must always be prepared. Also, the wolf packs tend to stay away from my place. I have a large domain that spreads several miles and the smart cookies seem to realize this.” You hum and thoughtfully observe a log. It’s shaking slightly, Sans notices, and he watches with interest as you reach your gloved hand in and pull something out. An arctic fox gnashes its teeth at you and begins hissing in order to scare you away, but you hold steady until it finally gives up and rests its face against its leg.

“Hm… Just a cub. I’m surprised it made it this long with such a severe injury.” You muse and single handedly reach into your basket. A moment later, you have a jar filled with some sort of cream and bandages, which you settle on the ground. You prod at the fox for a while until it finally relents and reveals its hind legs, which are sporting red welts that seem to spread the longer you stare at them.

You pull a thermos from your basket and pour some warm water over the injury, washing it repeatedly until the red is more of a pinkish color. Once you’re sure the injury is cleaned, you slather some of the cream on the cut and bandage it dutifully. Once done, you let the fox go, but it doesn’t move for a long while, just staring at you until it lets a small yip, nips at your hand, then takes off, limping into the forest.

“C’mon, we should follow it.” You tell your companions, who had been watching the whole ordeal in silence. You pack up your stuff and kick snow over the washed off blood before taking off at a decent pace in the same direction the fox went.

“HUMAN, DO YOU ALWAYS FIX ANIMALS LIKE THAT?” Papyrus asks as you hop over a fallen tree and reach over it to help Sans on top as well.

“Not all the time. It’s technically my job to make sure all the animals in this forest are well taken care of, but it’s not my job to stop nature. If that fox had been any closer to dying when I found it, it would’ve been my job to put it out of its misery.” You tell them. It’s silent for a while and you suspect they are thinking over your words. Perhaps you should elaborate on your job…

“I am the ranger in these parts. I help lost humans back to civilization and prevent wildfires and other stuff like that. There isn’t a lot of chaos around here, though, so I tend to look after the animals. Eventually, the government caught on to my meddling and decided that I could care for the creatures as well. I spend most of my time in the forest and only go to the city for essential trips and to deliver pelts before winter.” You explain, and they nod along at your words. It feels like they don’t quite understand what you’re saying, but you’re a bit too tired to call them out on it. Instead, you hop over a few more bushes and come to a stop in front of a small den. 

You pull a notebook from your basket and begin noting little things about the dwelling. It looks like there have been a few- possibly five- foxes in and out of the den over the past few days. Little splashes of red, purple and green let you know that they are living an omnivorous diet and have most likely been out hunting. While artic foxes usually give birth in spring, it looks like the vixen had to give birth early, which means… 

You sigh and shove your head into the hole. It smells like decay and rot. You maneuver around for a bit and look around until you find the source of the smell. Sure enough, there is the corpse of a once cunning fox chewed down to the bone. You pull the carcass from its resting place and hightail it out of the den.

“Eugh, no wonder that fox’s injury was so bad. His mama didn’t even get to teach him how to hunt before she passed.” You lament as you finally crawl out of the burrow. Cradling the corpse close to your chest, you make your way a few yards from the burrow and begin digging, not even looking over at your companions as you work. They stare on in mild disgust and interest as you lay the carcass in its new resting place and begin kicking dirt over it.

“HUMAN, IS EVERYONE ON THE SURFACE LIKE YOU?” Papyrus asks, his voice impressed and accusing at the same time. You shrug and pile snow atop the makeshift grave, then reach into your basket and place a single dried flower atop it.

“I don’t reckon there are many people like me. Everyone is different, but most are brought up surrounded by others that gives them the opportunity to learn social norms. I… Grew up here, in these woods and in that cabin. I had to hike through three feet of snow for miles just to get to classes, only to get scolded for being late. The other kids my age didn’t know what to do with me. So as soon as my schooling was over, I decided to just keep away from people and live out here where I wouldn’t bother anyone.” You sigh and brush off your hands, then reach in your bag for some fruit and dried meat, which you set in front of the fox den. The creatures wouldn’t be getting any more nourishment from their dead mama, so they need something to tithe them over until you can teach them how to properly hunt.

“HOW SAD. DO YOU NOT YEARN FOR FRIENDSHIP? FOR THE ADMIRATION OF PEOPLE?” Papyrus asks as he settles down beside you. Sans sits beside his brother and watches your face carefully as you answer.

“No. I don’t need other people’s validation to know I’m a good person. I’m not the best, but I’m certainly not the worst. I’ve met so many terrible people in my line of work. Manipulators, scoundrels, all around villains. But there are nice, clueless people, too. People who do bad things without meaning any harm. People who do good things just because they can. While the actions of a single person can put a damper on things, the actions of another might be able to lift you higher than you’ve ever been. So I’ll let people do whatever they want as long as it doesn’t hurt the people around them. In return, they’ll allow me to do my own thing.” You tell the skeletons with a remiss smile on your lips. They stare for a minute before you startle them out of their reverie to point at the den.

“Looks like the cubs are back. Let’s see if we can’t teach them a thing or two”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Papyrus, watching you play with the fox cubs: SIGH… WHAT A BEAUTIFUL HUMAN  
>  You, getting your eyes gouged out by feral beasts: shi- mother trucker! 
> 
> Next Chapter: Back Under
> 
> If you wanna ask a question of give a suggestion for future chapters, feel free to reach out to me on my [Tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/punnypearlpeppermint)! 'Till next time~


	3. Back Under

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which you go back to the lake

It takes most of the rest of the day to even get the cubs to trust you. You still feel a little gratified when they yip at your attempts to leave and try to corral you back into their home. One of the kits had taken a liking to Papyrus and gnawed on his bones almost the whole time while the others seemed drawn to Sans, cuddling up in his coat and snoring peacefully from his pockets. It took a lot of convincing, but you finally managed to pry both parties away from the other and dragged your companions back to the cabin.

“I’m going to the lake tonight. If you guys need anything, my doors are open. If someone calls, don’t answer. If someone knocks, don’t answer. If you want to come along, feel free, but stay on the trail. Uhm… What else… Oh, probably be ready for a new roommate. I want to see if I can pull any more monsters from that hole.” You tell the skeletons once they’ve answered their door. Papyrus is staring at you in shock and you shift from foot to foot, waiting for his ascent.

“you sure that’s safe, kid? don’t you wanna, i dunno, wait a little while?” Sans asks from the couch that you can just barely make out from where you’re standing.

“No. From the sounds of it, you guys were stuck down there for a long time. Generations, probably. I don’t like knowing that people are trapped and that I can help them. So, I’ll go and scope it out.” You direct your words at Sans, who fumbles a bit before standing up, pulling his coat over his jacket.

“maybe we should go with you. if you manage to catch a monster's attention, it’d be better if another monster is with you to help smooth things over.” Sans offers and steps into the chilly night air. Papyrus glances about before nodding his head and turning back. He grabs his own coat, plus an extra thick one that he throws over his shoulder.

“SHOULD WE MANAGE TO RETRIEVE A NEW MONSTER, WE SHOULD HAVE SOMETHING TO PREPARE THEM FOR THE NEW CLIMATE.” He explains, and falls into place beside his brother. You nod and turn back to your house, lock your door, then begin to head towards the stream.

It’s quiet and the three of you take in different aspects of your surroundings. Sans stares at the stars, but his footsteps immediately follow your own like some sort of heat seeking contraptions. Papyrus glances around nervously and you have a feeling he is uncomfortable with the dark and the different illusions that come with it. You stare ahead, keeping your ears open for any unfamiliar sounds and watching the way that your hair blows in the wind. Like this, you can predict how long until a cold front hits. It’ll be a couple hours at least.

When you get to the frozen stream, it feels a bit off to you. Something is different, but you aren’t sure what until you get to the spot you had pulled the brothers from. The ice is completely repaired, as if it had never been cracked in the first place. “Huh. Must’ve rained sometime earlier. No matter. We can just lie down until it’s like before.” You hum, then settle into a lying position so you can listen to the ice’s songs.

“w-what are those noises, kid? they don’t sound… safe.” Sans ends his worried sentence lamely.

“It’s a phenomenon called singing ice. As the ice shifts and cracks, echoes travel over and the vibrations become beautiful and mysterious sounds often compared to those of whale songs or a time before you were born.” You explain and roll over onto your back to stare up into the clear sky. Thick clouds are beginning to roll in from the right, but for now, the sky overhead is crisp and nebulous.

“THE SOUNDS REMIND ME OF THE BUNNY CHILDREN. THEIR SNORES HAVE ALWAYS BEEN ANCIENT SOUNDING.” Papyrus reminisces from beside you. He’s staring into the sky as well and you can’t help but wonder what he’s thinking about.

“Do you guys know any constellations? They’re good for finding your way out here in the wild, so you should know a few in case you get lost.” You gesture to the stars, and both monsters look over, curious to see what you’re talking about.

“I guess the most important constellation to look for is the little dipper. At the tip of the constellation’s handle is Polaris, the North Star. While most will tell you to follow it as it should lead to civilization, that’s not entirely true. There isn’t much further north you can go from here. However, you can use the star to find the other navigational stars in the sky.” You say and point to Orion, gesturing to the most notable part (at least for you), the belt.

“Orion’s belt is attached to his sword, which will point south. The rightmost star on his belt will rise within one degree of True East and set within one degree of True West. From here, you should follow the sword south to get to the cabin.” You tell them, then go on to explain a few different constellations and the stories behind them. You feel it’s about time to get up after a while and move to stand, but are stopped by Papyrus’ hand on yours. You never even noticed him holding you in the first place, but realizing it now sends heat rushing to your cheeks. You duck your head further into your scarves, a pretty useful way to hide your blush.

“We should… Get up. I don’t want to prolong helping your people any longer.” You say once your nerves have calmed down. Papyrus gently disentangles his hand from yours and stands first, then helps his brother up. You crawl onto your knees and look down, seeing the same black abyss as the night before. You aren’t quite sure what to do. Just… Punch a hole into the ice? Will that work? You attempt it, but nothing happens. Maybe there was a factor you aren’t understanding… 

“I… Don’t know how to do this. I’m not even really sure what I did last time. It felt so natural before, but I’m not really feeling anything right now.” You sigh, and watch as the frozen puff of breath blurs the clear frozen water beneath you.

“might have to do with magic.” Sans suggests, which makes you turn your head to him in question. A bead of sweat appears on his brow and he seems to be thinking of whether to elaborate or not before deciding on something.

“monsters have magic. it’s what keeps us alive and is the very essence of our beings. human mages had magic, too, but there’s no evidence they still exist. not that i have a very large sample group to base that off of, though.” He gestures at you, clearly talking about how you’re the only human he’s met so far.

“I… Guess that makes sense? You’re saying you used magic on me to make me take you out of the ice or something?” You question, but he shakes his head ‘no’. If not that, then what?

“FOR ME, IT FELT LIKE OUR SOULS MOMENTARILY BECAME ONE, GIVING ME JUST ENOUGH DETERMINATION AND MAGIC TO PASS THROUGH THE BARRIER.” Papyrus notes, though he’s directing his findings more to his brother than you. Maybe you’ll just sit back and let them figure out the sciencey stuff. They don’t seem keen on asking you anything, anyway.

“sounds about right. but that shouldn't be possible without their soul being out, at the very least. So something must’ve happened… i remember there being a loud crack, then they were reaching into the ice like it was nothing more than regular water.” Sans throws in his own knowledge and glances down at you in your sitting position. You look like a sad racoon, just dragging your gloved hands over the ice to make strange shapes.

“IS IT POSSIBLE THAT THEY HAVE MAGIC? ASGORE SAID HUMANS LOST THEIR MAGIC, BUT I DON’T SEE ANY OTHER WAY FOR THEM TO HAVE PULLED US UP LIKE THAT.” You perk up at that, looking at them hopefully. You! A mage! WIth magic! You could reenact witch trials and stuff! The thought pulls a snicker from the back of your throat, which gets both skeletons looking at you.

“... nah. they don’t have any magic runnin’ through them.” Sans says, crushing your hopes and dreams. You pout and go back to drawing shapes on the floor, which is when you spot a flash of bright red and dark blue. The thing is staring at you. It looks like it’s moving closer.

“Hey, guys?” You question, but the skeletons continue to talk over you. The thing is getting closer, and even with the blurry view you have from above the ice, you can tell the creature is not happy.

“Guys??” Your tone heightens in pitch, but it still isn’t enough to get either monster’s attention.

“For star’s sake, listen to me! There’s something approaching us!” You shout, finally snagging their attention. They both look down and while Papyrus seems happy, Sans’ grin turns strained as he watches the lick of fiery red crawl its way up the same slope Papyrus had climbed the day before.

It doesn’t take long for the creature to have their face pressed against the ice, shouting what you can only assume are profanities up at your group of three. Papyrus giggles and waves while Sans ducks into his coat and you take the opportunity to look them over. The stripe of fire red is hair, you note and the blue are scales that cover the monster’s whole body.

“I think my life is being threatened.” You comment after two whole minutes of the three of you staring at the fish monster.

“INDEED YOU ARE, HUMAN! WOULD YOU LIKE A FULL TRANSLATION, OR THE SHORTENED VERSION?” Papyrus asks in his overly bright voice. You sigh and shake your head before falling to your knees and hovering your hand over the ice.

“I’m gonna pull them out now, but you guys better not let me die. I will come back and haunt you.” You threaten, then plunge your hand into the ice. Something connects. A crack, its sound echoing around you. Then you’re pulling a shivering monster out of a hole in the ground. Sans pulls you back while Papyrus rushes forward and wraps the monster in the extra coat he’d brought. The reversible coat has the leather side out and warm wolf fur within to keep one extra warm, its design is sleek and suits the monster in front of you strikingly well.

“Wh-What HAPPENED? Papyrus? What are you doing here? Where ARE we? And who the hell is that?!” The monster spews once she’s regained most of her senses. She looks about ready to attack you so you huddle closer to Sans to hopefully avoid some sort of cruel end to your strange life. 

“UNDYNE! THIS HUMAN BROUGHT YOU TO THE SURFACE! THEY BROUGHT US UP HERE YESTERDAY AND WANTED TO SEE IF THEY COULD HELP ANY OTHER MONSTERS OUT TONIGHT. AS FOR THEIR NAME, I’M STILL IN THE PROCESS OF LEARNING THAT. THEY HAVE YET TO INTRODUCE THEM SELF.” Papyrus tells his… friend? Undyne, if you remember correctly. His words don’t quite register at first, but when he gives you an expectant look, you reach your hand out for Undyne to shake and say your name.

“But my superiors call me Kit, since i’m so young and charming.” You say with a wink before flipping a tuft of your hair that’s peeking out from your hood. Undyne guffaws at your joking mannerisms and takes your hand in a bone crushing grip.

“Well met, Human! And thanks for getting these two out of that hell hole. As for the others… You plan on helping them as well, right???” She asks with a menacing smile. You raise your hands in defence as a nervous smile tugs at your lips.

“Well, I don’t plan on leaving anyone behind, but I don’t know how quickly I’ll be able to do it. The hole recloses whenever it rains (and trust me, it rains a lot), so I have to wait until someone notices me before I can pull anyone out. And then we still don’t know exactly how the whole thing works, or if there’s a size limit, and there are a bunch of other factors. But! Um! I’ll try my best.” You finish your awkward ramblings with a chuckle, which seems to surprise the skeletons. They’re probably used to you being sure of yourself, but this is entirely new territory and Undyne is frightening. Still, you don’t want to be rude or anything, so you offer her the same hospitalities you offered the skeletons.

“Er, I have a house and side cabin not far from here. Sans and Papyrus are living in the cabin right now, so you could bunk with them, but if you decide there isn’t enough room, I have space in my own house that you can use. There’s only one key to the cabin, though, so you’ll have to discuss with them about its usage. Um… what else… I don’t have monster food, but you’re welcome to use my rations and my kitchen. That’s… about it? If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask me! I’m an open book and all that.” Your rambling is getting worse, isn’t it? You stuff your hands into your pockets to keep them from moving around so much, then lock your eyes on the floor below you. Maybe if you jump into the hole, you won’t have to deal with being an awkward mess.

“That’s nice of you, Human. I’ll talk with Sans and Papyrus about whether or not we’ll start rooming, but I’m sure they won’t mind! As for those problems you mentioned earlier… I think I have a way to get a better flow of monsters out of the underground.” Undyne grins down at you, but before she can move to do whatever she’s planning on doing, Sans reaches out and grips her wrist.

“slow down, ‘dyne. we need to be careful of who we let out of the underground and when. there’s not a lot of places for them to stay up here, and as of right now, this is the only human who knows of our existence. if we bring too many others out, we’ll need to go into the towns to search for more shelter. we should at least wait until we have a stronghold up here before we do anything brash.” Sans reasons, which Undyne puffs at. She’s clearly impatient and wants her people free as soon as possible, but Sans has a point.

“Ugh! I GUESS you’re right. So who are you proposing we bring up? Definitely Asgore, but then what?” She asks, not sure who else they could possibly need to build their… stronghold? If they’re building something, they’ll need mechanics and carpenters, since the most usable material around is wood.

“Do you guys have carpenters and mechanics? You’ll need to use the wood around here as materials and while I’m within my rights to sanction buildings being made around here, I don’t have the know-how to do it by myself. Plus, I have a feeling I’ll be more busy than ever between making sure monsters stay hidden, my regular job and keeping you all safe.” You list on your fingers. The more you think about this, the more you feel like you’re going to get fired. Oh well. It’s not like you can’t survive in the wild all on your own.

“Yeah, I think I know some people with those skill sets. The question is, how many total can I bring up comfortably? I don’t want people living out in this cold.” Undyne says and puts her hand to her chin, eyeing you suspiciously.

“Kinda depends on their size and how willing they are to share rooms. I have two extra rooms in my house, plus the living room if people are willing to live in there. I’m pretty sure Sans and Papyrus have claimed the living room in the cabin as their own, so that just leaves the master bedroom in that place. All in all, if every room is doubled up in, we can fit eight more people.” Undyne nods, then seems to mull over the information, before coming to a decision.

“Alright. I have an idea of who I want up here, but we’ll need some time to gather them. For now, you should head back to your house and get ready for some company. Come back in an hour and we’ll be ready to come up.”

Things move fast from there. You and Papyrus sprint back to your house while Sans and Undyne head back underground. Papyrus doesn’t even hesitate to burst into your house, gathering the coats that you say should be good for the monsters while you sort through your storage, procuring a large tarp and extra beddings and furs to make the lodgings more comfortable. Papyrus all but drags you back to the lake, but when you get there, the hole is gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Undyne: *growling from beneath the ice*  
> You: Get you’re fucking dog!  
> Papyrus:IT DON’T BITE  
> Undyne: *more rabid growling*  
> You: Yes it do!
> 
> Next Chapter: Escape
> 
> If you wanna ask a question of give a suggestion for future chapters, feel free to reach out to me on my [Tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/punnypearlpeppermint)! 'Till next time~


	4. Escape

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which you pull a bunch of monster out of the underground

“Hey, Papyrus?”

“...YES, HUMAN?”

“Did your brother and Undyne just get locked out of the surface?”

“THAT APPEARS TO BE THE SITUATION, YES.”

“Dang.” You say as you get on your knees and peer into the ice beneath you.

“DO YOU SUPPOSE THEY WILL SHOW BACK UP ONCE THEY’VE GATHERED THE BUILDERS?” Papyrus asks as he brushes his gloved hands over the foggy ice, trying to get a better look into the abyss.

“Considering this is the only way in and out, I think so.”

The two of you quietly observe the ice for a long time until loud, frantic slamming sounds from directly below you. Glancing down, your eyes catch flaring blue, it’s Sans. He’s scared. You don’t even hesitate to punch a hole in the ice and reach for his outstretched hands, intent on regaining your friend’s freedom.

Crack. Echo. Suddenly, you have a shivering skeleton wrapped in your tight embrace as you hoist him out and away from the offending underground. He clutches to your poncho and doesn’t seem keen on letting go anytime soon, which wouldn’t be a problem if there weren’t monsters reaching up from the hole you just created.

It takes a bit to calm Sans down enough to get him on his feet, but he latches onto your hand like it's a lifeline, refusing to let it go no matter how you ask. Sighing, you decide it’s for the best to just leave him alone, and look into the hole, where Undyne is looking up at you with furrowed brows.

“Well, Human? Are you going to help us out?” She asks, raising her hands to you. Helping a monster out of a hole with only one hand is difficult, but you feel… hopeful, for some reason, as you reach down and grapple with Undyne’s hands. A crack sounds, then its echo, and Undyne is staring down at you, a dazed look in her eye.

“What? What’s wrong?” You question after a few uncomfortable moments of staring.

“You have magic.” She says simply, then seems to realize her words and startles out of her stupor. “YOU HAVE MAGIC! You didn’t have any magic before! Where did it come from? And why couldn’t I feel it earlier?” Undyne asks as she pokes at your sternum, as if looking for something. By now, Papyrus has walked up, too, and gasps when he looks at your chest.

“HUMAN! YOU HAVE MAGIC? WHY DIDN’T YOU TELL US BEFORE?” He asks as he grabs your free hand, but Sans keeps him from taking your opposite one.

“Um… Because I don’t have any? Didn’t you guys just say that?” You question, trying to remember if they even hinted at the possibility of you having magic earlier. No, they seemed pretty certain you didn’t have any.

“EARLIER, YOU WEREN’T ABLE TO USE MAGIC, BUT THERE IS THE CLEAR FEELING OF YOUR SOUL RESONATING RIGHT NOW.” Papyrus explains, and points to your chest. You aren’t sure what your chest has to do with anything, but it should be explained soon. You hope.

“it might be easier to understand if you pull them into an encounter, bro.” Sans offers, his grip on your hand loosening so he can pull away. Something fades within you the less contact you have with him. Something… Important. Still, you allow him to let go of your hand and turn to Papyrus, who now has a thoughtful expression.

“Oh.” All of the monsters say at once as they give you odd looks. You’re even more confused now, but figure they’ll start talking about it soon enough.

“your magic is gone again.” Sans says after a few moments of silence. Undyne nods and gets closer, looking at your chest as if it’ll answer the questions of the universe. After a few moments, she simply raises her hand and does a ‘come-hither’ motion, and suddenly, your surroundings turn black.

“W-What-?! Undyne! What is this?” You ask the only person you can make out through the darkness, but even she has lost most of her color. Everything is either black or white except the glowing red heart in front of your face, which bobs up and down, frantic and searching.

“An encounter! I’m surprised Sans or Papyrus haven’t brought you into one yet. It’s an essential part of monster culture and helps individuals get to know eachother better.” Undyne says, but her words don’t register in your mind as much as they float in the air above her head.

“Oh. Um… Humans don’t really have anything like this, so… Probably don’t pull people into them without warning.” You give an awkward chuckle and try to rub the back of your neck, which turns out to be hard to do with the minimal light. Your lack of hand-eye coordination fills you with unease.

“Right-o, human. Now, how about we find out what’s going on with your magic.” She says, then raises her hand. The heart hovering in front of you shudders in anticipation before half of it turns green, with the other half flipping over and becoming white. The crack you’ve become accustomed to sounds off at the same time the heart flips, which startles both you and Undyne enough for the both of you to stumble. When the echo that always follows the crack sounds, your soul flips again and returns to the red it was before. 

“... I think this is a bit more difficult than a simple shielding spell.” Undyne says after a while, then lowers her arms into a more submissive manner. You follow her actions and watch as color returns to the world.

“WOWIE, HUMAN! I’VE NEVER SEEN SOMEONE BREAK OUT OF UNDYNE’S GUARD SO EASILY BEFORE!” Papyrus shouts when you’ve regained your senses, then pulls you into a tight hug. The extreme change in environment is enough to set you off kilter, but paired with Papyrus’ flailing, you aren’t surprised when you land on your butt the moment he sets you down.

“You saw that, right, Sans? Their soul literally split and dispelled my magic within a single moment.” Undyne turns to the shorter skeleton, whose grin is strained. He seems to be thinking of something, but you can’t be sure of what. You’re still very confused about this whole situation, but you feel too drained to really question it.

“I’m just gonna… Finish bringing the other monsters up while you guys discuss.” You say after a few awkward moments of silence pass. They don’t acknowledge your words and continue their silent communications.

The first monster you manage to pry from the ground is a scrawny looking dog monster, who yips happily when you pet him. His fur is warm and smooth, but after about a minute of petting, you notice his neck… growing? It’s just strange enough to get you to stop and you turn back to the hole to pick up the next monster.

You have some difficulty pulling a buff rabbit monster from the ground, who is incredibly fluffy and goes by “Bluff”, though he says it’s just a nickname. He completely foregoes the coats and furs and instead stands guard over Lesser Dog as he naps.

You pull out another bunny afterwards, who introduces herself as Fluff. She’s Bluff’s sister and is apparently a talented monster farmer. She makes most of the food cooked in an area called Snowdin and sells her ingredients to her cousin, who makes the best cinnamon bunnies in the whole underground. The two of you hit it off immediately and you have to tear yourself out of conversing more to pull out the next monster.

This one turns out to be a wolf, no gender, no name. Just Wolf. The two of you share a stoic nod, then they’re off, presumably to scout the surrounding land. You hope they don’t wander into the snow wolf territory to the west, but if they do, you’ll most likely know and be able to pull them out of the encounter.

There are two monsters sitting patiently, sipping on cups of tea, when your legs suddenly give out. Papyrus and Sans are at your side in an instant, with Undyne and Fluff hot on their heels.

“what happened, kid? you were fine just a second ago…” Sans looks you over and you shiver and clutch at your chest, where most of the pain is coming from. You felt progressively drained the more monsters you pulled out, but you didn’t think it would exhaust you so much. You were just lifting people up, after all. Nothing you haven’t done before. In fact, you remember a time you pulled three times as many people who were twice as big as some of the monsters you’d just dragged out of the underground. Either you’re getting rusty, or…

“IT LOOKS LIKE THEIR SOUL IS RUNNING OUT OF ENERGY.” Papyrus finishes, making the monsters surrounding you flinch. Even you don’t like the sound of that, and you don’t even know what it means!

“What are you even talking about? Soul? Energy? I was quiet about it before because I thought you guys needed more time to figure stuff out, but if it’s going to hurt me, I need to know.” You tell them seriously as you wobble into a better sitting position. Fluff holds you against herself and gives the other three imploring looks, which seems to crack their resolve.

“look, kid, your soul is the very culmination of your being. that heart that undyne pulled out earlier was your soul. it was red, which stands for determination. there are other colors; orange, yellow, cyan, navy, green and purple. sometimes the colors can combine to make other colors, like a color wheel. us monsters are made of our souls and the magic residing within them. and the barrier, which was keeping us underground, was made from human magic.” Sans explains. It makes sense, in a way. From what you’ve seen of monsters, they can do very strange things. That encounter Undyne pulled you into, the special food that they eat. It’s not just their appearances that are different from humans. Their culture and mannerisms and ways of life are different, too. 

And then there are the mages, who also had magic. If you assume they were like other humans, you can see how they would have come to the decision to trap the monsters underground. Humans hate things that stray from the norm. And monsters with magic and special foods are about as far from the norm as you can get. It’s terrible, the idea that people could lock up an entire civilization just because they are different from humans, but you know it’s possible. And you know that humans, out of every creature in the universe, are the most likely to do something like that.

“Alright. So some scared humans with magic locked you guys underground, hoping that would kill you off or something like that. Generations pass. We forget about you and magic and souls and everything about you guys. Then, I find Sans and something clicks. Suddenly, I have some sort of magic that just disappears and reappears when I need it or something. It’s probably the thing that lets me drag monsters out of the underground, and since magic comes from a person's soul, that’s the reason for me suddenly becoming so weak. I’m using too much magic, so I’m going to weaken eventually. That’s just the way the human body works. The more effort you put into something, the worse the withdrawals.” You say, summing up the information that you’ve gathered so far. The monsters surrounding you are struck stupid by both your acceptance of the information being given to you, and your ability to gather everything else you know to come to conclusions.

“That’s… That’s right, yeah. How did you get all of that from just us explaining a few things?” Undyne asks after a few moments of shocked silence.

“When you live the way I live for long enough, you take information in like a sponge. I never disregard anything as insignificant. The one time I had, someone… Heh, someone died. I carry that guilt with me everyday. So, to make up for it, I’ll never disregard information given to me and will take everything at face value. Because being distrustful out here in the wild can be the end, for someone else, or yourself.” You say with the same vindication you use every time you remember the event.

The monsters are silent at that. You seem to have that sort of effect on them. Stunned silence. It’s always just been regular silence for you, but this is almost better! In a funny, endearing sort of way.

“Anyway~ Is there anything I can do to regain my… Soul energy? Y’know, other than sleeping, to help the last two out of the underground. One of them looks pretty cold.” You gesture down, at the blob of yellow that’s shaking so much that you can’t make out its shape. The creature next to it looks like a large white goat, and the low rumble of his voice gives you a warm, childish feeling. Like everything is going to be okay.

“Well, we could see how you do with monster food. Surely it can’t be bad for humans, considering the others who made their way through the underground before.” Fluff suggests, and brings out her phone, which she waves around like it’s an enticing meal. You remember Papyrus pulling ingredients from his phone before and wonder if she has food in her phone as well.

“Worth a try. Alright, human. You ready to have your mind blown?” Undyne asks, then gestures at Fluff, who has a bunny-shaped cinnamon bun now held in her hand. You tentatively take the sugary treat in your hands and chomp on it, admiring the flavor as it melts in your mouth. Then you realize that it’s actually melting, dissolving like spun sugar, before completely disappearing. You didn’t even have to swallow or anything!

“Oh wow!” You exclaim before you can stop yourself, then blush when the monsters begin to chuckle at you. Rather than dwell on their laughter, you dive in for your second bite, trying to chew quick enough to actually swallow the food this time, but realizing your attempts are futile. It just keeps disappearing, but the feeling of becoming full makes itself known the more you eat. It’s a strange juxtaposition.

“That was… Wow. Just, wow. I know I’m probably sweet deprived and all that, but I can say with absolute certainty that was the best cinnamon bun I’ve ever had.” You spout after the shock has a chance to process. Almost immediately, you’re on your feet. With bright eyes, you saunter to the hole and shout down for the next person to ready up, and watch as the yellow monster scrambles to their feet, startled and flighty. They shuffle forwards and you pull them up with ease, instantly wrapping them in an embrace and turning in a circle, before settling them gently to their feet.

“Welcome to the surface, monster! It’s such a wonderful day! I hope we can get along!” You spout and reach around yourself, pulling your alpaca wool duvet over your head and placing it on their shoulders. Before they can respond, you’re waving the group over, who appear to be chuckling, but you aren’t sure about what.

“Guys! Meet my new friend, um… What’s your name, friend?” You ask owlishly at the lizard- or is she a dinosaur?- monster who is looking at you with wide eyes. She stutters for a few moments, which gives you time to fidget and tug at the fox tails that decorate your shoulders, fixing them to their rightful places.

“Er- I’m! My name- that is- uhm… My name i-is Alphys. I’m the royal scientist.” Alphys finally manages to push out. You nod along, but are distracted by Undyne’s sweetheart grin. Ooh, looks like someone’s got a crush~. You almost giggle, but think better of it. You still have one monster to bring out of the underground, after all.

You reach both hands down and grip warm, fuzzy paws. The most powerful, draining crack you’ve ever felt sounds, but it’s nothing in comparison to the echo that follows in its wake. You fall back and peek up, eyes catching on the absolutely regal, frightening monster who looms over your form, his eyes as kind and aged as the frozen water that you sit upon. It feels like you sit there, looking up at him for hours. Then, a single tear falls from the kingly person’s eye.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Everyone Else: Wow, humans must be really susceptible to magic in monster food.  
> You, who hasn’t had sugar in three years: HAhAHaHAhA-
> 
> Next Chapter: Duality
> 
> If you wanna ask a question of give a suggestion for future chapters, feel free to reach out to me on my [Tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/punnypearlpeppermint)! 'Till next time~


	5. Duality

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which you listen to a king's lament

So, seeing a giant of a monster crying is incredibly sobering, you find out. But seeing all of the other monsters bursting with tears at the same time is twice as effective. You wish your arms were bigger, so you could hug them all at once. Instead, you settle for holding Papyrus’ hand and leaning against Sans’ shoulder. Fluff curls up in your lap and weeps for a while, until her brother comes and gathers her in his arms.

Eventually, everyone has cried all that they can and you stand back up to greet who you can only assume is Asgore, title pending. You’re pretty sure he’s some sort of ruler or high-standing individual, based on what the others have said about him so far.

“Um… Hi.” You manage to press out, then blush at the simplicity of your statement. But what else are you supposed to say? ‘Nice to meet you, your monster highness! What a lovely surface day we’re having!’ Just imagining saying those sentences to the forlorn monster in front of you makes you cringe.

“Hello, young one. It is an honor to make your acquaintance. I must thank you. Your actions, no matter how accidental they may have been, has released me and my people to some degree. For that, I am eternally grateful.” Asgore bows his head, which just feels so wrong coming from such a kingly monster.

“Ah, it’s no big deal! Please, don’t bow to me. I… I didn’t do anything any other human would’ve if they were in the same position.” You wring your gloves together, feeling the taut pull of the fabric against your fingers. It’s odd to be having this sort of conversation. Sure, you’ve gotten plenty of thanks for saving people’s lives out in the wild, but helping an entirely new race of people out of their underground encagement is an alien subject to you.

“You may not understand the importance of your actions, but believe me when I tell you monsters will speak of this day for generations. Please, accept my gratitude. It is fully earned.” He sounds close to tears again, his arms outstretched in a pleading manner. His words weigh heavily on your mind. Generations of people will remember you. People who might outlive you; people who have known nothing but darkness for possible generations. You feel your own tears well up in your eyes as you step forward and wrap your arms as far as they can go around Asgore’s torso, trying to soak in as much of his warmth and comfort as you can while also trying to convey your own thanks. Slowly, as if you might break, Asgore hugs you back.

To say this is the warmest hug you’ve had in years is a bit of an understatement. Sure, you’ve hugged a few of the people you’ve rescued before. You’ve hugged your family, too. But the fatherly warmth radiating from Asgore is beyond anything you think you’ve ever experienced, and for a few seconds, everything just clicks. You may not know these monsters very well, but just like all of the wild animals and lost humans you’ve found abandoned in these woods, you’re willing to fight for them. You’re willing to risk your life making sure that they get a happy ending.

“I’ll do everything in my power to make sure that you guys never go underground again.” You whisper as you pull away. Asgore gives you a watery smile and pats your head before turning to observe the monsters you’ve brought to the surface.

“I never thought a single human could break through the barrier, even the smallest bit. You see, it was made from the magic of seven human mages. Even the combined force of all of the monsters could not overcome the determination coming from a single human soul. Yet you… You managed to pull us out. And despite your generous actions, we still must take more from you, by taking over your land and resources, your housing and rations. For this, I apologize.” Asgore says, like he’s forcing his company on you. You frown slightly. If you didn’t want them here, you wouldn’t have offered to let them stay.

“I believe everyone is entitled to the earth. Being trapped underground just because you guys look different and do different things is wrong. You have nothing to apologize for.” You state firmly, and stare Asgore down until he nods his assent. He goes on to assign jobs to the monsters brought up from underground. Fluff is to see if she can grow crops on the surface while her brother is to begin harvesting building materials with the help of Lesser Dog and Wolf (who apparently has some sort of hammer attack). Papyrus and Undyne are to hold down the fort while Alphys and Sans begin researching the surface. Asgore, meanwhile, will begin researching human laws in order to safely integrate his people when the time comes.

Almost immediately, everyone is set with their jobs and seem eager to get right to it, but you stop them, suggesting getting a good night's sleep before working. Fatigue is clear in all of their stances, save Papyrus, who looks like he could wrestle a black bear. You guide them to your house and suggest that Wolf and Lesser Dog room with Sans and Papyrus, since they take up the least amount of space when coupled together. Bluff and Fluff end up in the room across from yours and Asgore decides to sleep in the living room. Alphys and Undyne blush as you lead them to the last empty room in your house.

Settling into bed, you can’t help but wonder what the future holds. Sure, you’re willing to accept the monsters, but humans can be cruel creatures. What if the short sightedness that you’re sure led to the Monsters original banishment still lingers in the hearts of humans? What if they can’t look past the beastly forms of the monsters and push them back underground? You fall into a fitful slumber, waking up every now and then to listen in on the snores of your cabin mates.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Watches Undyne and Alphys walk into their room together*  
> You: And they were roommates  
> Sans: my god they were roommates
> 
> Next Chapter: Greenhouse
> 
> Happy Holidays everyone! If you wanna ask a question of give a suggestion for future chapters, feel free to reach out to me on my [Tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/punnypearlpeppermint)! 'Till next time~


	6. Greenhouse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which you take some monsters to see your greenhouse and storage bin

Morning comes earlier for you than it does for the rest of your cabin mates. You hardly slept at all last night and, upon waking up once again around six, you decided it would be fine if you just stayed awake. The house is silent until around eight in the morning, when Papyrus raps gently against the front door and requests yet another cooking lesson. You pull him inside and go over how to make french toast. Even with both of your griddles fired up, you can barely cook fast enough before the rest of the house is clambering about, reaching for finished food and asking where they could go to do their business.

The cabin monsters soon enter the main house to join the others for their meal. While they eat, you retreat to your room to pull out an old set of keys, books that pertain to any manner of interest and a set of paperwork that you’ve had since inheriting the deed to your house. By the time you’ve carted all of your material downstairs, the monsters have finished eating and are geared up to go out to do their jobs.

“Before you guys head out, I have some stuff to go over.” You call out, stopping all of the monsters in their tracks. They give you cautious looks but crowd closer when you shake your papers enticingly.

“These are the land permits for this forest. They go over how many trees I can cut down over the span of a year, where I can build new areas if I should choose to, and what sort of buildings I can sanction, and when I can sanction them.

“We need to follow these rules to the letter to prevent the higher ups from checking in on us more than necessary. I want you each to familiarize yourselves with them before you even think of beginning expanding your territories. In the meantime, I’ll get a contractor up here to plot out the land we’re gonna use for your guys’ first building. To do that, I’ll need to use the cabin as my temporary base, just to prevent him from coming in here and seeing you guys.” You explain, then look Sans in the eye before finishing your little spiel.

“I won’t force you out of your home, but you guys aren’t going to get anywhere if you don’t know where to start. I may have to do this sort of thing again in the future, but I promise I won’t do anything that will compromise your safety.”

The monsters give you a considering looks before individually nodding their heads. You let out a short sigh of relief before handing the papers over to Asgore, then retreating to the kitchen, where you left your phone.

A short phone call later and you have an appointment set up for 3 in the afternoon. It’s still a while off, so you decide that you can talk to a few of your new companions before you have to leave them alone. Asgore, Wolf, Bluff and Lesser Dog are all looking over the papers you handed out earlier, while Sans and Alphys have begun reading over the books you set out earlier. Sans is reading a book on the flora and fauna of your region while Alphys seems to be catching up on the latest scientific discoveries from across the globe.

That leaves Undyne, Papyrus and Fluff, who seem to be deciding on what they should do with the free time that they have.

“How about you guys join me, and we can go check out my storage unit and greenhouse?” You suggest and dangle your set of keys before you. Fluff immediately brightens up at your words and hooks her arm with yours, then gives the other two a questioning look. They shrug and motion for you to lead the way.

“Do you have any surface plants growing in your greenhouse right now? It’d be interesting to cross pollinate and see if I can get some mixed results over the generations!” Fluff giggles as the two of you step into the snow.

“Yep. I’ve mostly got herbs growing at the moment since, even with the warmth that the greenhouse produces, it gets too cold for actual crops to grow in there. I’ve also got some snowdrops and bluebells, if you wanna try your hand at perfume making in your free time. The ladies in the town treat any beauty products like they’re gifts from the gods, so I’m sure we could raise some decent funds for you guys through that.” You drawl, then glance at the two monsters who have yet to speak up.

“As for the storage bin, there are pre-cut wood beams, provisions, an extra boiler that I plan on installing in the cabin, and all the tools you’ll need to build a house. We’ll probably need to buy a few things, but… It’s a start.” Undyne perks up at your words and looks like she wants to ask something, but decides against it.

The rest of the walk is filled with silence as the monsters marvel at their new surroundings. There aren’t many critters around with the winter season, but the occasional rustle of leaves is enough to keep the illusion alive for the monsters who have yet to see a surface animal.

You finally walk into a clearing where two small buildings rest. The first is a metal box with thick locks preventing entry. The outside is slightly green with copper rust, but is otherwise well-kept. The second building is made of glass with steel beams to support the many green-tinted frames. You can vaguely make out the shape of many raised platforms with various plants hanging out of them.

“Okay, I’ll open the greenhouse first, since it's easier to unlock. It should be pretty warm in there, just fair warning. I don’t suggest eating anything since a lot of herbs need to be taken care of before they can be consumed. Dried, cooked, etcetera… I’ll get you a book to look at.” You offer as you walk in. Fluff immediately begins darting about the thin walkways to observe each new plant, occasionally asking what a certain plant is used for or what it’s called. You giggle at her antics and answer all of her questions while watering the plants that require it. You don’t have the greenest of thumbs, but you can keep a plant alive.

Papyrus and Undyne begin to get antsy in the cramped space after a while and request to see the storage bin. You wave off Fluff then head out towards your storage space. The metal bin looms over you by a few feet, but Papyrus and Undyne can practically touch the roof with their heads. It takes a few minutes to fully unlock the bin and it squeaks eerily when you finally push the door open.

“Welp. Have fun you two.” You quip, then attempt to walk away from the large metal box. Before you can get even a couple steps away, Undyne grips your shoulders and drags you into the darkened entrance.

“WHAT’S WRONG, HUMAN? I’VE NEVER SEEN YOU SHY AWAY FROM ANYTHING BEFORE.” Papyrus gives you a questioning look as your group of three marches deeper into the dark room.

“Ah. well… Remember how I mentioned freezing to death when you guys first got up here? This is where it happened.” You tell them with a shrug. Immediately you have both of their attention locked on you. Undyne looks about ready to pounce while Papyrus nervously wrings his hands. You stop for a second and think over your words before realizing that what you just said makes this place sound like a death trap.

“But! Um! I put safeguards to prevent that from happening. There’s a fireplace installed in the back, fresh wood, flint, a stock of furs and enough food for a family to survive for a few months. No one’s gonna die here if I have anything to say about it.” You rush out and the two seem to calm down a bit. They still eye the walls warily but eventually decide it’s safe enough to rummage around through the different storage bins.

“You sure do have a lot of pelts, human. Do you really eat this much meat?” Undyne questions when she comes across a box filled with furs.

“Not really. Quite a few of those animals died of natural causes. I may’ve killed a few of them out of mercy, or for food. I try to make use out of all the resources the forest gives me. Nothing should go to waste.” You shrug and turn to the pile of wood beams, looking them over to make sure they haven’t rotted.

“Still… This is a lot for a single person. And you have a lot of rooms in your house… Are you sure you live alone?” Undyne presses, suspicion lacing her voice.

“Quite sure. I have visitors on occasion and I mandate that any rescuees stay the night before they are sent back to civilization, but nobody stays here for long.” You sigh as you confirm that all of the wood beams are still good for using. When you finally look up to meet Undyne’s eye, she looks conflicted.

“Then why would you let us stay here? From the looks of it, this is gonna be our permanent residence from here on. Don’t you want your privacy back?”

“No.” You answer a bit too quickly, then duck your head in embarrassment when Undyne and Papyrus give you questioning looks. “I mean… I like my privacy as much as the next person, but I also need social interactions from time to time. Having you guys here is… It’s nice.” You finish before ducking towards the still-open door to the storage bin. You take one last peek inside to see Undyne and Papyrus talking in hushed whispers before you retreat to the greenhouse.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Fluff: So many spices!  
> You: So little thyme…  
> *Sans hysterically laughing in the background*
> 
> Next Chapter: Contractor
> 
> If you wanna ask a question of give a suggestion for future chapters, feel free to reach out to me on my [Tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/punnypearlpeppermint)! 'Till next time~


	7. Contractor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which we finally see another human

Undyne, Papyrus and Fluff all seem satisfied with the progress they made today, which is good since it’ll only be an hour until the contractor arrives. You spend the hour cleaning the cabin and making sure that there are no traces of the monsters to be found. Before you know it, a car is sliding up the road and parking in front of your house.

“Heya Dave. Thanks for coming on such short notice.” You drawl as the two of you meet halfway. Dave is an old friend of your dad and helped to make your current house and the cabin beside it. He’s one of the only certified contractors within a twenty mile radius, so he’s in high demand, especially during the warmer months.

“Anytime, Kit. Us foxes gotta have eachothers backs.” Dave winks and fiddles with the fox tails attached to his poncho before patting your shoulder, where your own fox tails are.

“Any reason you got the urge to build a new house, Kit? ‘S not like you to go changing the layout of the forest.”

“I’ve been feeling like my station is too close to the edge of the forest. Gotta spread out and make sure I’m covering more ground.” You tell him with a shrug. You have technically been meaning to expand lately, but never got around to it. Too much of a hassle.

“Ah, you just wanna have a place to hide away when you have family over. I getcha.” Dave winks again, then gestures for you to lead the way to where you want to start building.

You walk towards the lake where you’ve been saving monsters, but turn westwards when you reach the halfway point on the lake. You walk for about a mile that way before coming to a stop and pulling out a blueprint. Dave looks it over with wide eyes before nodding and taking out his measuring tools.

For a while the two of you are silent. Dave gets to work placing stakes and making sure there aren’t any pressing issues with the immediate area before returning to your side and handing the blueprint back to you.

“Lookin’ good, Kit. It’s gonna be big- probably bigger than your current house! You sure you can handle that?” He asks with a skeptical look in his eyes.

“Of course. I may be a fox, but I’m strong as a bear. It’ll be done before you know it.” Dave continues to give you a skeptical look before bursting out with laughter.

“You really are your father’s daughter! Well, call me up if you need anything else. Mollie’s making deer soup tonight and I will not be missing it!” Dave exclaims, then trounces back the way he came. You quickly follow after and reach your house in record time.

“ Before you head back, I got a present for you and Mollie. Wait right here.” You tell Dave, then run towards the cabin. Left just next to the door is a package filled with dried meat, herbs and a couple warm pelts made for a child.

“Oh, Mollie’s gonna love it! She just adores dressing up the younguns, and your clothes have always been on the top of her to-get list. Thanks, Kit.” Dave says when you hand over the care package.

“It’s nothing much…” You trail off as a flash of gray disappears in your peripherals. Dave seems to notice as well and swerves his head towards the disruption but before he can get too good of a look, you speak up.

“Ah, that was just my newest friend. Found a wolf yesterday and helped them out of a trap. They were probably making sure I was alright.” You wave your hands, drawing Dave’s attention back to you.

“Damn hunters leaving out their stupid traps… And in your woods no less! You’ll be tracking them down, I trust?” Dave questions and you give a curt nod.

“No hunters will be getting very far in my woods. Don’t worry, Dave. I’ll take care of it.” You tell him, then nod your head towards his car.

“Be safe on the trails. Tell Mollie I said hi.” With that, Dave is gone. You let out a breath you hadn’t realized you were holding before glaring back at your house.

“I could’ve sworn I said to stay inside.” You drawl as you pop into the house, a subtle glare crossing your features. The monsters are all sitting casually- too casually- reading books or dozing off. A few of them have beads of sweat rolling down their features, which only makes your mouth quirk down another centimeter.

“I get it if you guys don’t trust me, but I feel like I’ve done more than enough to prove that I’m not going to reveal your existence. I can’t keep that promise if you guys are gallivanting through the woods while you know other humans are around.” Papyrus finally breaks and drops his book, a look of pure remorse on his features.

“I APOLOGIZE HUMAN. I KNOW YOU DON’T INTEND TO HARM US. YOU JUST WANT TO HELP. BUT AFTER SO MANY YEARS OF BEING TOLD THE STORIES OF YOUR RACES BETRAYAL, IT IS ONLY NATURAL WE WOULD TREAT THIS VISIT WITH CAUTION.” Papyrus looks near tears as he explains himself and you almost crack at the sorrow in his tone, but hold your ground. They can’t be so reckless, and you’ll be sure that they learn that.

“You guys won’t be leaving the house tomorrow. You need to learn how to be patient and how to take orders. These are my woods and you guys are under my care- that means you follow my rules when I give them to you. Failure to comply will be met with a punishment.”

“you can’t do that, kid. it’s not right.” Sans speaks up, drawing your ire in his direction.

“This world isn’t right. You’re going to have to learn that one way or another. If I have to be the person who teaches you, so be it. Maybe from now on you will listen when I give you directions.” You hiss, then turn on your heel and head towards your room.

“You have the rest of the day to yourselves.” Is the last thing you mutter before you slam your door.

Immediately, conversation breaks out amongst the monsters, but you could care less about what they’re planning. They won’t last long if they decide to run away. They know this. And they can’t get the rest of their people out of the underground without your help. Their only option is to comply, as much as you loathe to admit it. You’ve never liked having so much control over a person’s life, but it’s what you signed up for when you pulled Sans out of the ice, you suppose.

Your anger simmers down and you slip off your boots and settle on top of your bed. Your guests don’t have any changes of clothes, you realize. Pulling a bin from under your bed, you begin sewing through the leather of the pelts, intent on making as many outfits as possible before you pass out. You barely manage to tuck your sewing needle away before your vision goes dark.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Dave: There is only one thing worse than a rapist. *reveals the word above rapist*  
> Sans: a child
> 
> Next Chapter: The Village
> 
> Oh i do so love conflict (not really i actually had a hard time writing the end of this chapter and most of the next two chapters. like. why can't people just be happy???) If you wanna ask a question of give a suggestion for future chapters, feel free to reach out to me on my [Tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/punnypearlpeppermint)! 'Till next time~


	8. The Village

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which you head into the village

“Why did you guys think this was a good idea?” You question for the third time as you continue your trek through the freshly fallen snow. You would’ve taken the time to admire it if you weren’t seething with anger.

“YOU were going to keep us stuck in your stupid house, human! Anything is better than getting trapped again.” Undyne snaps as she jumps over a log.

“Right. Freezing to death in the Alaskan winter is sooo much better than being holed up in a large house for twenty four hours or less. I get where you’re coming from with being imprisoned again, but this is just idiotic. What were you guys going to do once you stepped out of my forest? It hasn’t even been thirty minutes since you left and already you got lost. Not to mention you were heading north- Y’know, towards even more frigid climates?” you sigh and pull your poncho tighter around you.

You woke up twenty five minutes ago to an empty house and immediately knew what was up. They were making a run for it. You really should’ve expected that, considering their past, but the thought just slipped your mind.

“Y’know what? I’m really not up for this argument right now. Once we get home, you guys are all going to get properly dressed then we’re heading out for a field trip. I’ll show you why I made the rules I made and why I got so upset you disobeyed.” You grumble as you make a sharp turn, your house appearing in the distance.

It takes a little less than an hour for the monsters to finish getting dressed and come out of the house, a few of them now wearing new clothes. Sans and Papyrus appeared attached to their old coats so you decided to just make them better fitting pants. Undyne received a new pair of boots. Alphys got boots with thick soles and a warm scarf that you made a while ago out of alpaca wool. Fluff got an entire outfit made from different scraps of fur, that blended in well with her spotty look. Bluff got a poncho made from a wolf pelt and Wolf got a pair of thick pants. You didn’t have enough time to make Asgore or Lesser Dog anything, but they assured you their thick fur would keep them warm.

“Come on guys. Let’s go do my job.” You drawl and walk eastwards, towards where your storage bin and greenhouse lie. You pass up the landmarks and continue in a straight line for a few miles. The monsters don’t have much trouble keeping up until you have to start scaling a steep incline, when Sans and Alphys start to fall behind. Papyrus and Undyne quickly alleviate this by picking them up and carrying them.

“Hm… Feeling the burn yet guys?” You hum as you reach the top of the hill. Wolf lets out a single pant and passes you up. Undyne lets out a low growl while Papyrus gives you a tight smile.

“WHAT WILL WE BE DOING ON THIS TRIP, HUMAN?” Papyrus eventually asks as you guide them to yet another incline.

“I’ll be taking you to the very edge of my forest. We’ll be able to see the village from there. I want you to observe the humans. Make of them what you will.” You say simply, ignoring the way the monsters tense up at your words. They decided they wanted to go out today and you weren’t one to deter others from their plans.

Snow starts to fall, which in turn lowers the temperature around you. It’s hard to make out the path in front of you, but your expert senses and the familiar layout of the forest prevent you from getting lost. The group subconsciously tightens closer to eachother and they all let you take up the front of the group as you are the most secure in your steps. Just as they seem to be getting comfortable with the new setup, you suddenly stop, take out your compass, let out a little curse and turn ninety degrees. The walk continues in a tense silence.

“sure you know where you’re going, kid?” Sans asks after a few minutes pass in which nothing is said. You know exactly where you are, but the whole point of this little outing is to teach them the dangers of not only the forest, but human nature.

“Well… yes? It’s been a while since I went to the village. People walking in unfamiliar terrains tend to get turned around more often than nought.” You drawl and watch as Sans quirks one of his bone brows. The other monsters seem tense at your words, but Sans’ face turns from confusion to realization. Hm. He’s more perceptive than he lets on. You huff and turn on your heel, continuing your march in silence.

The monsters take cautious steps as they follow behind you, as if unsure whether to trust you or not. Sans seems confident enough, though, as his footsteps keep in time with your own. It doesn’t take long for Papyrus to pick up on his brother’s less dire mood as he, too, falls in line with you.

Slowly, the other monsters follow the skeletons’ examples and their steps gain confidence. Just as Alphys regains her rhythm, you stop short and glance around, placing a finger to your chin as if in deep thought.

“Huh. Poachers have been around here… I’ll have to file a report in town, since we’re on our way there anyways. You guys don’t mind if I head down, do you? It should only be an hour wait.” The monsters are immediately back on high alert, all except Sans, who eyes you carefully before shrugging and falling back with his fellow monsters.

“whatever you need to do, human.” Sans sighs and subtly begins picking his speed back up until he’s back in step with you. Papyrus soon follows, then Lesser Dog, Fluff, Bluff, Undyne, Asgore, Wolf and finally Alphys. Sans seems to be mitigating the stress you intend for them to feel with his own casualness, which is fine, as you don’t want them to lose trust in you completely.

“Would you guys like anything while I’m in the village? We probably won’t be heading out this way for a while, so speak now or forever hold your peace.” Sans perks up at your words, as if he expected something different to come out of your mouth. Still, his grin smooths around the edges before he gives you his request.

“got any ‘dogs down there?”

“Um… Shouldn’t Lesser Dog and Wolf be enough?” You question and watch as all their eyes widen at your statement. Did you say something offensive? You didn’t think that mentioning the dog-like monsters of the group would garner such a reaction.

“no, no! i meant a warm hound. y’know, a flaming puppy?” Sans questions, which only makes you more confused. Does he want to set his fellow monsters on fire?

“I mean, we have kindling and everything at the house. Are they going to be okay with that, though? Do monsters usually need to be set on fire?” Sans’ smile widens before his teeth split open and he lets out a hearty laugh, catching you and the other monsters completely off-guard. Almost immediately, the tense atmosphere you were trying to create melts away as your group begins chuckling right along with the mellow skeleton.

“ahh, you’re a strange one, human.” Sans finally sighs out once the laughter dies down. He says it with just enough admiration in his tone to get you blushing. You duck your head into your scarves and turn forwards again, intent on getting this trip over with before you lose your resolve.

The walk continues with no further mishaps after that. You don’t want to say something weird again or offend anyone, so you decide to not mention the fact you’ll be picking up groceries while in town. After nearly two hours of walking, you finally cross one final bend and look down to see the village.

“Welcome to my technical hometown. I never grew up in it, but it’s a place and I frequent it on occasion. I’ll point out now that this is a trading based village where the wares you offer are more valuable than the money you possess. That means, of course, that there are more burglaries than the average town, but the people here don’t take it to heart.” You monologue with a gesture to the town. As if on cue, the sound of a siren fills the dim silence left in the wake of your words, followed by the crack of gunshots. The light mood that the group had begun to fall into immediately disappears as they glance at the snow topped roofs below them.

You watch for a few moments as Undyne tenses up, subtly moving in front of Alphys in an attempt to prevent her from getting too close to the town. Asgore eyes the town sadly before turning and giving you the same pitying look. Sans and Papyrus are unreadable but their eyelights flicker between you and the town a few times before settling on their snow covered shoes. Fluff still carries an air of optimism, but she has a tenseness to her shoulders that tells you she isn’t completely comfortable with the situation. Wolf and Lesser Dog are silent as they look at the small specks that you recognize as people walking through the cobbled streets. Bluff seems indifferent to the whole situation.

“I wouldn’t suggest getting any closer than you currently are, but observe the town as much as you like. I’ll be back in a little over an hour.” You say your farewell, then take off down the incline, not looking back to really sell the fact that you’re going into the village. A slight murmur picks up behind you as you maneuver your way down the hill, but you ignore it in favor of setting your sights on the town in front of you.

There are a few things on your to-do list; stock up on food, get some more books, get a… dog?, file a report about the hunters that have been sneaking into your woods, and find some leather sewing twine to finish making clothes for the monsters.

The town hall is the closest building to your woods, so that’s where you head first. You already wrote out the report, both your monthly report and the one that has to deal with the poachers, so you turn those in quickly before exiting the building.

The next closest place is the general store, where you shop around for basic foods, seeds, papers, writing utensils and a spool of leather sewing thread. While there, you chat with the sweet elderly lady who runs the shop and break a robber's arm for attempting to steal from said lady.

The book store is only a couple blocks away. It’s warm inside and the scent of fresh ink and paper permeates the place. You would’ve relaxed in the comfortable store, but…  
“Looks like the storm brought in a lost little kitsune. Never thought I’d see one out of its natural habitat.” A breathy voice chuckles from behind you. On a normal day, you would’ve ignored the taunt, but you’re not in a very good mood today.

“Watch your tongue, cow, unless you want me to cut it out.” You snarl and rest your hand on your hip, fingers hovering over your hunting knife. The man looks at you unamused before a sinister smirk covers his features.

“Always creating a ruckus, no matter where you go. I hear you can’t even keep your territory safe from hunters. What’s your papa bear gonna say when he finds out you’ve been slacking on the job?” The male questions before patting down his splotchy cow hide. His hands are covered with a new set of gloves made from fox fur.

“He’ll be happy to know that I’ve already tracked down a few of the _poahers_. Though, I’ll save that conversation for another time. For now, why don’t you run along back to your mom? I’m sure she’s missing her calf.” You bare your teeth before turning on your heel to head to checkout. The cashier is eyeing you suspiciously but says nothing as she rings you up.

Your final stop is the animal shelter. No animals go to waste in this town and the dogs here are trained by experts to become hunting dogs. It only takes a few minutes of looking around before your eyes land on a husky with a chip in one of her ears. She has a fierce look on her face but her tail droops in subtle submission as you approach.

“I’ll take this one.” You request and wait for the owner of the shelter to round the corner to meet you.

“Are you quite sure, Kit? This one has been in here at least three times… We were planning to put her down soon.” The shop owner gives you a questioning look but when he meets your steely gaze, he only sighs and takes a collar from her gate.

“Thanks, Grayling. I’ll take good care of her.” With that you’re on your way back out of town. By now, most of the townspeople are staring you down, curious gazes and fierce glares observing you the entire way to the edge of the town. You let out a subtle sigh and let your shoulders drop as you reach the treeline, then perk up when your eyes land on a familiar group of monsters.

“I got your dog.” You tell Sans when you’re close enough to be heard without shouting. His expression cracks from a hard frown to a wide smile as you gesture to the fluffy pooch at your side.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You: I’m like Belle from Beauty and the Beast.  
> Alphys: Because you tamed a bunch of monsters?  
> You: No, because I’m the only non-idiot in the village.
> 
> Next Chapter: The Follower
> 
> Did you know I put little hints in some of the end notes? I would love it if you guys guessed what they mean! If you wanna talk, feel free to reach out to me on my [Tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/punnypearlpeppermint)! 'Till next time~


	9. The Follower

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which we switch pov's

As soon as you stepped into the village, the monsters all agreed that Sans would be following you. He was a little hesitant to the plan- you had just gotten angry because they disobeyed your rules earlier- but eventually relented out of his own curiosity.

Everything seemed normal. The village was similar to Snowdin, with large log buildings and villagers with warm smiles. That all changed as soon as you walked into the town hall. Instantly, people were more on edge, their smiles more strained. Whispers were heard and threats were made but never acted upon. For some reason, the people here didn’t like you. At all.

At first, Sans thought you did something bad in the past- maybe you hurt somebody? Got into fights often? But the more he watched, the more sure he was that they were being prejudiced- prejudiced against your choice of clothing. It didn’t make sense. Why should the clothes you wear determine what others think about you?

“I don’t care what my cub becomes as long as it isn’t _that_.” A gossiping mother whispers to her companion as you walk past, eyes intent upon the grocery store.

“I agree. Vixens are never any good, all they do is lie and steal.” Sans raises a brow at this. You’ve always been very careful with your words- careful to never lie but leave plenty of room to wiggle out of a situation. And so far, you’ve been very generous and have asked nothing in return for your hospitality.

“C’mon, don’t be like that. We wouldn’t have such good crafts if it weren’t for the foxes. I’m pretty sure that kitsune made the very clothes you’re wearing” A man wearing an alpaca wool jacket scolds the ladies, essentially putting an end to their conversation.

Sans decides to resume following you, curious about what’s taking you so long. A quick peek into the grocery store window and he can shortcut right inside. It’s cool, but not as frigid as the outside air. Gentle laughter followed by your own throaty laugh sounds from somewhere near the front of the store and Sans follows it until he can make out your form.

An old lady sits before you, hand covering her mouth from her amusement. You look about ready to head out but in a move too swift to comprehend you have the man who entered the store just minutes before in an armlock, his head pressed against the counter you were just leaning on.

“Why don’t you pick on somebody your own size?” You hiss at the male who thrashes under your hold. He shouts something about betraying your own but can hardly get another word out before the sickening snap of a broken arm sounds out in the mostly silent room.

“I’m not like you, nor will I ever be. Now why don’t you head to the hospital and rethink your life choices. Is this really all you want to be? A criminal who preys on those who can’t defend themselves? Or is there something more you can do? Because it seems to me that you have more skills than just being a sneaky tod.” You flick a piece of jewelry that dangles from his neck before grabbing your bags and walking out of the store.

Sans watches as the man shakily rises to his feet, his hand clutched over the necklace you had just pointed out. For a moment, he seems almost hopeful. Despite his broken arm, despite the beating he just got handed to him, he looks like he might actually try to get his act together. Then the old lady raises a rifle from under her cash register. Sans doesn’t stay any longer.

The next place you head towards is the book store. It’s quaint and smells vaguely of spices. The shelves are lined with books of varying sizes, each one looks old and weathered, but you don’t seem to have a problem picking out the ones you’re looking for.

Sans watches as your shoulders subtly droop, your face going slack and you reach up as if to unwrap your scarf. Unfortunately, a person wearing a cow skin poncho approaches and your posture immediately tenses up. “Looks like the storm brought in a lost little _kitsune_. Never thought I’d see one out of its natural habitat.” The man drawls in the same accent you tend to adopt when you get aggravated.

For a moment, it looks like you’ll keep your cool, just brush off the man like you do to every inconvenience that comes your way. The moment kitsune leaves his mouth, however, you lock up and slowly turn, hatred burning just behind your irises.

“Watch your tongue, _cow_ , unless you want me to cut it out.” You threaten and reach for one of the weapons you have strapped to your body. He’s seen you fiddle with the knife a few times, as if contemplating whether you need to use it or not, before promptly putting it back in its sheath. At this moment, he can’t tell whether you’ll put it back once you take it out.

“Always creating a ruckus, no matter where you go. I hear you can’t even keep your territory safe from hunters. What’s your papa bear gonna say when he finds out you’ve been slacking on the job?” The human taunts, but Sans is more focused on your eyes. They roam over the humans body for a moment before you seem to come to a decision and shift into a more relaxed stance. Your gloved hand disappears from view before coming back into sight, this time with a basket filled with the books you’d picked out. Sans hadn’t even realized you had dropped them.

“He’ll be happy to know that I’ve already tracked down a few of the poachers. Though, I’ll save that conversation for another time. For now, why don’t you run along back to your mom? I’m sure she’s missing her calf.” The opposing human seems taken aback by your remark and looks about ready to reach for his own knife, but thinks better of it as you saunter up to the cash register. You pay no mind to either human once your purchases are made and saunter out of the library without a care in the world. As soon as you turn a corner, your shoulders drop and a subtle sob escapes your lips. Sans feels like he’s seen enough.

In a blink he’s back beside his brother, who has paced a decent hole into the snow covered ground beneath him. Papyrus’ eyes light up once they land on Sans and the two share a quick embrace before Sans gestures to be let go so he can share the information he gathered.

“the humans here don’t seem to like our little ranger, but i’m not sure why. all of their preconceived notions are completely different from the human we’ve been getting to know. not to mention they seem to have some sort of weird class system in the town based on the clothes they wear. it’s pretty weird.” Sans goes on to explain what he overheard from different conversations, the way you seemed on-edge the entire time you were walking around the town, and the confrontations you experienced while simply trying to shop for the basics. By the end of his explanation, the other monsters are visibly distraught and look about ready to charge down the hill, but you appear on the edge of the forest, stifling the mini rebellion that was building in your absence.

Your shoulders are lowered to their usual casual state and there’s a bit of warmth in your cheeks as you wave enthusiastically at the group of monsters. Sans’ face shifts into a frown at the clear difference in your posture here, in the wild, compared to your posture while walking through the human settlement. You’re so at ease here, even your eyes look more peaceful. You shuffle a bit closer and gesture to the dog at your side, a bright smile gracing your face as you proudly exclaim that you brought the skeleton the dog he asked for.

It’s in that moment that Sans- and all of the other monsters- realize that you are just as lonely as the rest of them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *some random robber: I just want to get money to make jewelry  
> you: I understand and want to help. Unfortunately, you targeted an old lady, so i'm afraid i'll have to break your arm.
> 
> Next Chapter: New Shirt
> 
> Haha you guys were all worried for nothing. Anyway~ I finally decided where I want to go with this story, so we'll be taking 180 degree turn in a few chapters. Hope y'all are ready! If you have any questions or suggestions feel free to reach out to me one my [Tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/punnypearlpeppermint)! 'Till next time~


	10. New Shirt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just some good old-fashioned filler and some lore

The monsters seem a bit less aggressive lately, you notice while finishing the last stitch in Asgore’s new coat. They also seem a bit more… clingy. Papyrus seeks you out every few minutes, asking for advice or to clarify a section from the book he’s reading. Fluff has begun following you on your patrols, curious about the wildlife in the surrounding forest. Undyne, Lesser Dog and Wolf drag you out of the house every now and then to watch them plow through trees to gather more lumber. Asgore and Alphys occasionally ask for help when it comes to logistics of who they should take out of the underground next, and Sans…

“Why are you in my bed?” You question and watch in mild amusement as the shorter skeleton stretches to his full length across your mattress. Beside him sits Umbra, the husky you adopted for him just a week ago.

“my dog’s in here, so i’m in here.” He tells you and scratches behind her ear. You watch as the puppy subtly sags under his attention and wonder if skeleton scratches are more pleasing than human scratches.

“Mhm. Don’t you have, like, research to do? Go help Alphys run her weird simulations with her pine cones and twigs.” You tell him and gesture to the door. He eyes you for a second before rolling so his front is laid against the mattress. Umbra gets up before promptly plopping herself on his back, assuring his new position would go undisturbed.

You deadpan at the two but a little chuckle bubbles up from the back of your throat. Sans soon joins in with his own laughter and before you know it the two of you are in stitches.

“BROTHER! RANGER! WHAT ARE YOU TWO LAUGHING ABOUT?” Papyrus questions as he bursts into your room, a new puzzle that looks like a box clutched in his hands.

“Sans is just being a goof. Anyway, did you need anything, Papyrus?” You ask and push your sewing supplies away so the taller skeleton can join your group on the bed.

“I’VE BEEN TRYING MY HAND AT THIS ‘SEWING’ STUFF YOU SEEM SO FOND OF. I WANTED TO LET YOU TRY MY FIRST WORK!” He exclaims and holds out the box in his hand. It has a strange locking mechanism that takes you a few minutes to figure out, but once you do, it’s easy to just lift the lid and reveal the contents.

“Oh, cool! You made a shirt, did you? It looks comfortable.” You praise as you lift the deer leather shirt Papyrus apparently made. It’s a little crude around the edges, but for a first attempt, it’s not so bad.

“THANK YOU, RANGER! NOW, GO TRY IT ON!” He shoos you out of the room and towards the bathroom, where you quickly strip the many shirts and jackets that usually weigh down your body. The figure that remains is muscled and scarred from many years of hard labor.

“Hm…” you hum as you observe a particularly gnarly scar that runs from your shoulder to the inner part of your lower arm. Maybe… They won’t notice?

Of course, as soon as you step out of the bathroom, Papyrus’ eyes lock on you and take in your appearance with rapt attention. You suppose this is the first time any of them will be seeing you without full body coverage, so it makes sense papyrus will be curious.

“WOWIE HUMAN! YOU LOOK GOOD IN ANYTHING! WILL YOU WEAR THAT NEXT TIME YOU GO TO THE HUMAN SETTLEMENT?” Papyrus question, pure innocence exuding from his person. You rub the back of your neck in embarrassment, but the feeling quickly fades in the face of his last sentence.

“Um… Well… I can’t actually wear deer pelts on top of my fox poncho. It’s a cultural thing in my village. It’s fine, out here, where nobody’s gonna be looking at me. Unfortunately, walking into town with a false pelt is punishable by… mmm… Three years jail time? Yeah, I do believe that is the current sentence.” You shrug a little but your shoulders are tense with discomfort. Papyrus gives you a worried glance and looks like he’s gonna drop the subject but Sans waltzes out to take a gander at your new look as well.

“really? what sort of cultural fad is that? seems kinda outdated.” His smile is tense and it’s clear he’s digging for information. If they’re going to be joining the nearby society soon, you figure you should tell them a bit about what it’s like.

“Yeah, it’s a pretty old system, dating back to before my great grandpa was born. Some old guy noticed that, while not all kids hunted, a lot of them did. And, more often than not, people’s first kills mirrored their characters. Young crafty folks with speed and a knack for setting traps would hunt foxes for luck with their crafts. Quicker children with slighter builds could find rabbit burrows easier and take the small animals inside. Bigger children who care for their friends safety above all else will hunt down violent bears. We call these children cubs. They were the first animal family.” You explain and reach up to fiddle with your fox tails, only to realize they aren’t there.

“The second animal family to be formed were the calfs. Deer, cows and moose are the main focus of this group, though there are a few other caribou type animals to consider. These children grow up as farm hands, traders and shopkeepers. They’re mostly docile, but there are a few that are more volatile, so they become hunters. They’re a sort of in-between for the three established animal families.” By now, Papyrus is enraptured with your explanation while Sans looks like he’s having an epiphany. Perhaps they have been paying better attention to your words than you gave them credit for.

“We call the third group fledglings. Owls, sparrows, hawks and corvids comprise this group, each with drastically different mindsets but all working towards the singular goal of knowledge and equality. They’re hardly hunters and tend to stay indoors. You’ll never see a bird out of its nest.”

“so what’s that got to do with going to jail? why would wearing a deer pelt earn you three years in the slammer?” Sans questions. He seemed to comprehend everything you just said, so maybe he’ll get the strangest part of the whole thing.

“It’s a bit like identity theft to wear another animal's skin in public. Like… Bears are considered trustworthy hunters that you can go to for support. If some lowife dressed in bear fur, they could take advantage of the people that come to them for help. It’s especially bad if you’re a fox, since we’re already seen as crafty and untrustworthy.” This subject is… really starting to wear you thin. You never liked the separation the furs caused between the people in the village. It feels too much like stereotyping and honestly causes more trouble than it’s worth.

“Anyways~ I really like this shirt. I’ll definitely wear it when we’re indoors.” You give Papyrus a bright smile and walk to the living room where Alphys and Undyne are sorting through the clothes you’ve pulled out for them. Undyne seems drawn towards wolf fur since it’s warm and comes in different colors while Alphys has mostly stuck with alpaca fur.

You sit for a while and watch them sort through the clothing before eventually dozing off. When you wake up it’s to the sound of your landline ringing and a blanket delicately wrapped over your form.

You stumble to the phone and shiver at the sudden lack of warmth but push the feeling down and look at who’s calling.

“Hey dad.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *The elders in your village: Is this a healthy society? *gestures at the obvious discrimination going on*
> 
> Next Chapter: Good News or Bad News
> 
> If you wanna talk, feel free to reach out to me on my [Tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/punnypearlpeppermint)! 'Till next time~


	11. Good News Or Bad News

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which you hear about what really happened underground

“Good morning everyone. I’ve got some good news and bad news. Whaddya wanna hear first?” You ask as the monsters all settle in for their breakfast.

“Bad news first! And make it snappy! Food goes cold really fast here.” Undyne growls as she shoves a flapjack into her maw.

“Alright. My dad’s coming over for a visit.” At this, all of the silverware Papyrus was passing out clatters onto the table and Fluff almost falls out of her chair.

“Yep, that’s about the reaction I thought I’d get. Fortunately, and this is the good news, he won’t be staying the night. He just wants to check that the poachers aren’t doing anything that will upset the forest’s environment. I’ll be out in the woods with him all day. It’ll be safer if you guys stay indoors, but I want someone to follow me in case I need to signal that my dad is coming in for a spell.” You kind of narrowed down the options to Wolf, Sans, or Fluff. The three are stealthy in their own rights, and despite Sans’ lazy behavior, you’ve seen him move faster than anyone here.

“I’ll do it, ranger. It’ll be fun to track you down, hehe!” Fluff offers and you share a grin with her before discussing how to best avoid detection. Bluff doesn’t seem pleased with the fact his sister is going to be following you around, but doesn’t fight it anymore when she gives him a stern look.

Once everything is settled, your group goes back to its regular routine. Alphys and Sans begin reading over your old books, Asgore looks over the human laws that you retrieved for him, Undyne and Papyrus go out to survey the forest, Bluff and Wolf head out to resume chopping their trees down, and Fluff and Lesser Dog head towards the Greenhouse to take stock of how much wood has been gathered and to check on the plants.

With everyone off doing their own thing, you figure it’s the perfect time to get some target practice in. You gather your bow and arrows, your tomahawk, and your throwing knives, then head out into the forest. It only takes a few minutes to make it to your impromptu shooting range- a large alcove cleared of trees and debris with a stack of wooden targets stacked up inside of a box.

You set about putting up the targets, then return to a starting position on the other side of the clearing. You have about thirty meters between you and the closest target, so that’s what you aim for first.

For an hour or so you lose yourself in the familiar feeling of weighing a weapon, measuring the distance between yourself and your target, waiting for the wind to die down, then letting your tool fly. You land on the board every time, if not hitting it dead center.

The sound of a stick cracking snaps you out of your stupor and you twirl on your heel to make eye contact with Asgore, who seems a little surprised by your quick response to the sound he made. Upon assessing that he isn’t here to cause you harm, your shoulders loosen and the tomahawk in your grip falls gracelessly to the floor.

“I did not mean to cause alarm, child. I was merely… curious. We have not had much time to speak with one another lately, and with the coming of your father, I had hoped to speak with you of something important.” Asgore’s deep tone makes you relax a little bit more, but the idea of having a serious conversation is still kind of stressful. You shuffle from foot to foot before settling onto a log nearby and gesturing for the goat monster to join you.

“I had two children, when living in the Underground. One I had with my wife. He was beautiful and covered in the softest of furs with emeralds gleaming in his eyes. The other my wife and I adopted. They were a human, like you. They fell into the underground with nothing but their name and a few scrapes from the tumble.” His voice is sombre as he describes his children and you can’t help but think that this story will end in tragedy. Still, you nod and gesture for him to go on.

“One day… The human fell terribly ill, after consuming the flowers that sprouted from the small patches of sunlight that filtered from above. They were dying and we had no way of saving them. Distraught over his sibling’s approaching demise my son kept to their side to their dying breath. The last words that they spoke were a simple request. To see the flowers that sprouted in their village one last time.” You can feel a burning sensation at the tip of your nose that is not caused by the biting cold. Suspiciously, the same burning sensation rises to the corners of your eyes in the form of hot wet tears.

“My son absorbed his sibling’s soul and together they crossed the barrier and into the human world. What would’ve been viewed as a noble act by monsters was seen as a barbaric display of magic and monstrosity by humans and they struck my son down on the spot. He could not even bring his sibling to the place they had requested to rest at before the humans drove him back, past the barrier and into the mountain. My son collapsed upon the same bed of flowers that took his sibling and, for a single moment, my children’s combined soul floated above their bodies. And then it shattered and my children turned to dust.” Asgore’s voice cracks as his story comes to an end and the only thing that you can do is lean against him in support and comfort.

“That must have been horrible, Asgore. I can’t imagine having to go through that.” You offer your condolences to the broken king as he wipes the tears from his cheeks. It takes a few moments of silence before he can speak up again.

“You remind me of them, my children. You are determined and compassionate. Kind and brave. You don’t let the world tell you who you will be and fight for the future that you wish to see come to fruition. I could never fill the holes that they left in my heart, but your presence reminds me that not all hope is lost. There is room for a new future, for a new hope. This world is filled with endless possibilities and to give up now would be to waste the sacrifices that they made. I will try harder. And I will work every day to right the wrongs of my past.”

His speech brings a whole new well of tears to your eyes and you can’t help but wrap him in a warm embrace. Asgore may not be perfect, but at least he is trying. He’ll never be the best, but he will get better. It reminds you of why you’re out here, slaving every day to ensure the wrongs of your past are never repeated. You will work right alongside him, to make sure that everyone’s future is as bright as you can make it.

“I’ll work hard, too. And… I may not be either of your children, but… It would be an honour to call you Dad.” You smile up at the regal monster and watch as his eyes sparkle with happiness and adoration at your words. For a long moment, everything is right with the world. In fact, for the rest of the day, everything is just a little bit brighter. But all good things must come to and end, and just as the sun sets every evening it must rise again to signal the dawn of a new day. The day that your actual dad will be coming for a visit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *You:*stares up at Asgore with wide eyes* Daddy?  
> Asgore: Do I LOOK like your daddy??
> 
> Next Chapter: Father Bonding
> 
> If you wanna talk, feel free to reach out to me on my [Tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/punnypearlpeppermint)! 'Till next time~


	12. Father Bonding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> tw: there are a few cuss words towards the end
> 
> in which you and your dad talk a lot

“Kit! It’s so good to see you!” Your dad shouts and picks up his pace to meet you halfway across the expanse of land between your house and his car. He’s a big man, built like a bear and as strong as one on his better days. His eyes lost their hopeful sparkle that you remember from your youth, but the wrinkles in his smile are just as deep as ever.

“Good to see you, too, Pops. How’s the hunting buisness been treating you? You’re not overworking yourself, right?” You ask and gently lead the bigger man away from your house and deeper into the forest.

“I’m fine, little one. I would be a lot better if my subordinates would stop going into protected areas, though. Time and time again I have to direct them away from your forest. The fact you even had to file a report on poachers means I’ve been slacking…” Your dad trails off to stoop down and pick up a stick. Only a minute later the stick is split in two, a hidden bear trap left in its wake.

“I should’ve gone out and gotten rid of as many traps as I could. I suppose we’re both slacking, eh, old timer?” You both burst out in rambunctious laughter for a few moments before slowly quieting down.

It’s silent for a while, the only sounds being the snow crunching under your boots, the occasional chitter from a forest creature and, eventually, the sound of singing ice as you come up to the frozen lake you’ve been pulling monsters from. Your dad follows your eyes to the center of the lake before he lets out a low sigh and pulls you in for a hug.

“Y’know, that wasn’t your fault.” He mumbles against your hooded head, only to pull back and give you a stern look. “People are dumb, and you can’t stop them from making stupid decisions. You can keep beating yourself up about the one who got away, or you can move on and be better for the next person you come across.”

“... Is that a dating expression?” You ask when the silence stretches on for a moment too long. Your dad lets out another loud chuckle and slaps your back, causing you to stumble a couple steps before righting your balance.

“It looks like they haven’t gotten too far into your territory, their trail ends here.” Your dad says and stoops down to view a suspiciously deep indent in the ground. You grab the back of his bear hood and drag him back a step just as a wire snaps and sends a pile of rocks tumbling to the place he was just standing.

“Or that’s what they want us to think. Let’s continue forward, I’m sure the trail will pick up before long.” You sigh and move on, your dad giving a proud grin at your quick reflexes.

“You seem different, little one. Less… Lonely, perhaps? Have you run into someone recently?” The bigger man asks, suspicion clear in his tone. He’s never liked that you let people you picked up from the forest lodge with you and is even more suspicious when you list characteristics of the person. You’ve never been one to pay attention to such things.

“Yeah, I met a group a while back. About two weeks, is it? Either way, they were stuck in a cave for a long time. I’m surprised I didn’t find them earlier.” You sigh regretfully. If you’d known you could’ve helped the monsters sooner, you would’ve.

“Tell me about them.” The man suggests, clearly trying to distract you from whatever guilt you’re feeling.

“Well, I found two of them at first, late at night. The first one, Sans, was so small I could barely see him, especially considering how pale he is. His brother was the second I pulled out and he’s quite sweet, very helpful, and probably taller than you.” You joke and jab at your dad’s side, who lets out a good natured chuckle. He seems to consider your words for a while before nodding and gesturing for you to continue your explanation.

“I went out the next night to look for their friends, who they said were also stuck down there. It took a while, but their friend Undyne soon stomped her way out of the underground and I managed to pick her up. A little while later she managed to drag the rest of the group up.” You shrug, trying not to reveal too much. Unfortunately, your dad knows you too well, and he’s very good at telling when you’re hiding something.

“So what happened next?” He asks, tone suddenly stony. He obviously doesn’t suspect you did anything wrong or out of ordinary, but he doesn’t know anything about the people you took from out of the ground.

“I offered my place to them.” You state, avoiding giving further information. Your dad is clearly displeased that his digging is getting nowhere and drops the conversation. For now.

“This is the edge of my territory. If they continued to set traps past this point, it’s none of my business.” You sigh and kick the very simple fence that goes as far as the eye can see, and beyond. The gate is more of a marker to show that hunting shouldn’t happen past that point and doesn’t hinder the wildlife from passing whatsoever. A little ways away there is a family of deer grazing on the small bits of foliage that pops up from the ground, but your surroundings are otherwise peaceful and silent. You wonder briefly where Fluff is.

“Did those people ever tell you how they got stuck?” Your dad asks into the ensuing silence. You cringe and sort through your thoughts, trying to find out how to twist the truth without actually lying.

“Yeah… Something about people pushing them underground ‘cause they were different from everyone else. You know perfectly well how that works.” You scoff, playing on his emotions to get him to back off. The man flinches at your tone of voice before turning on his heel and heading the way he came to return to your house.

“It’s not my fault that happened to the foxes.” He murmurs and you let out a single laugh, the sound grating and offended.

“It doesn’t help that you didn’t do anything to stop it. I mean, would it really have been too hard to put your foot down? Just tell the large gathering of people who supported and believed you with their dying breaths that maybe, _maybe_ the foxes weren’t so bad, and that the class your own child was raised within was just trying to get rid of a clearly sick and corrupt government.” You growl, your steps driving your faster and further with every syllable.

“In case you forgot, the only reason you weren’t taken into custody was because I lied to save your ass!” He shouts at your backside.

“And guess what I despise more than anything in this world! Fucking guess!” You turn on your heel and shout. Tears spring to the corners of your eyes but you hold them back to stare the man down.

“...lying.”

“Correct you are, old man. And do you know why I hate lying so much?” You question, voice starting to tremble with the hysteria you’re experiencing. Your dad mumbles something under his breath, and even though you know exactly what he’s saying, you want to be sure that he hasn’t forgotten. “What was that?”

“Because lying has only led to death and destruction.” He says a little louder. You nod at his words and turn back around, keen on getting this visit over as soon as possible.

“It’s hard to believe you still understand that sometimes, especially considering you’re the one who said it in the first place.”

The rest of the walk to your house is silent and you hurriedly push the man to his car before he can even consider getting close to your dwellings.

“You know I love you, right?” Your dad questions as he reaches for the door of his car.

“Yes. And I love you, too. It’s just… Some things can’t be changed, no matter how much we want them to. Say hi to the rest of the family for me.” You whisper, then head back towards the main house. It only takes a few seconds for your dad’s car to start up, then he’s back on the road.

Fluff is already inside when you walk in, and you watch carefully as she fidgets with her hands before opening her arms wide, her meaning clear. You step into her embrace and soak up her warmth, not even caring when a few stray tears roll down your cheeks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oof, I don't have anything funny to add after all this serious talk. Um... How about a fun-fact about this world! Frisk's mom has actually already had a line in this story, but you gotta squint really hard to see it.
> 
> Next Chapter: Slow Dancing
> 
> If you wanna talk, feel free to reach out to me on my [Tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/punnypearlpeppermint)! 'Till next time~


	13. Slow Dancing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which I just write about a bunch of monsters dancing. (It's pretty much just straight fluff lol)

The next day is less hectic, by far. Undyne and Wolf agree that they can get started laying down the foundations for the building and request that you get a cement mixer to make things easier. Apparently, there is a large amount of cement mix already in the back of your storage box. Other than ordering the machine, though, you don’t really have anything else to do.

So you focus on something you haven’t done in a while; crafting. ‘Crafting’ isn’t a one-and-done sort of job. The foxes of old prided themselves on being masters of all manner of crafts. Jewelry, traps, music, building. Pretty much, if it’s something you can make with your hands, a fox is going to pick it up. Music and sewing in particular always drew your interest. And today you really feel like running your fingers over some ivorys.

The first order of business is tuning your old piano, considering it’s been sitting in the cold for over a year without being played. As expected, it’s sorely out of tune and you cringe as even the simple c scale sounds discordant and out of tune.

It takes a while to get everything in order, but you’re pleased with your work as you are finally able to play through all of the major scales without flinching. With a bit more wind in your sails, you decide to play something a bit more difficult. The song starts slow at first, running through the same few notes a couple times before speeding up and adding counter melodies and harmonies to offset the previously peaceful piece. You hum along, thoroughly enjoying yourself as the rhythm picks up and lets you carry the song to greater heights. 

The song slows down during the last few measures, falling back to the original melody and ends just as simply as it started. You let out a little sigh, closing your eyes to acknowledge the end of the song. The silence is broken by the sound of clapping and you whip around to see Papyrus and Undyne standing in the doorway, the skeleton monster with tears in his sockets and the fish monster nodding her head in appreciation.

“Nice, kid. Think I could give it a go? I haven’t been able to play since surfacing.” Undyne gestures to the piano and you nod, quickly getting up to allow her to play. While originally you thought she would play something rambunctious, maybe a little jazzy, she begins building off the song you had previously been playing, quickly transforming it into something slightly more whimsical and intense in character. While the song you had been playing was soft and gentle with hardly any risks taken, Undyne begins to go through difficult runs, her fingers flying across the keys.

A gloved hand is held out to you, which you gladly take and soon you and papyrus are waltzing through your sparsely decorated bedroom. Undyne’s piece slowly moves to a more brooding tone and Papyrus pulls you closer, his surprisingly warm breath wafting against your neck and heating your cheeks. Although you want to pull away and cover your quickly reddening cheeks, Papyrus twists you around, sending you into a dramatic dip just as Undyne hits an intense chord. You laugh freely as he pulls you back up and into his embrace, not even bothering to think of hiding your smiling face or reddened cheeks.

In the other room you can make out Fluff and Bluff also dancing with eachother, The bigger of the two occasionally lifting his sister into the air to even out their heights. Asgore is chuckling at the two but abruptly stops when Sans jokingly offers his hand to the king. Soon, the two are up and gently swaying.

Alphys seems a little nervous, like she wants to join, but not with any of the available partners. You tap Papyrus on the shoulder and gesture to the yellow dinosaur before gently spinning out of his grasp and towards the piano that is still in-use. Undyne notices your approach and moves to the side, letting you join in with the original melody. Together, your pieces combine to make a pleasant piece, and you can’t help but think that this is what art is all about.

Undyne soon slows down, however, and you wave her off, quickly switching to a more casual and upbeat tune that’s easy to glance away from. In doing so you are able to see Undyne approaching Alphys, nervously rubbing the back of her neck as she holds her hand out. The yellow dinosaur’s face quickly turns pink but she agrees to dance anyway and you chuckle as the two embrace.

Papyrus is now dancing with his brother while Fluff seems to be convincing Wolf to join her for a while. Bluff is resting next to Lesser Dog who seems content to just watch everything that is going on.

You play through another three songs before switching out with Undyne again. Sans is there to greet you when you raise from the bench and you waste no time pulling him into a gentle spin. He practically falls into your arms before you spin him back out and the both of you laugh at the carefree attitude in the room.

“Where’d you learn to dance?” You ask the skeleton across from you who smirks in a way that tells you he isn’t going to say.

“don’t you know? there were a lot of snow balls where I grew up.” You chuckle heartily before pulling the skeleton into a dip. Blue alights his face as you bring your face a bit closer than strictly necessary. You wonder if Papyrus felt the same sense of empowerment you feel now as you pull Sans back up and press closer than before.

Eventually both you and Undyne grow tired and the impromptu dance party comes to an end. You lower the lid back over your piano, then set out to make dinner. Construction on the Monster’s building will begin tomorrow, so everyone will need as much rest and nutrition as they can get. You smile gently as you watch Papyrus set the table and Sans mix the pitcher full of Asgore’s special tea. It almost feels… Normal. Like this was always supposed to happen. Like you were always supposed to be with them.

You wonder, as Papyrus gives you a bright grin and Sans pats you gently on the back, if they feel the same.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Everyone: *dancing  
> Lesser Dog: Ah yes, the ships are all coming together.
> 
> Next Chapter: Foundation


	14. Foundation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which you go out on your own

Dave comes rolling up with his truck filled with all of the stuff needed to lay out the foundation. You give him a quick hug and place a packet with the required money in his pocket before unloading the materials and waving the old man away.

Once you’re sure he’s gone, you turn back to the house and wave the monsters outside. They clamber to help you get the cement mixer and steel bars to the building site. It’s amazing what magic can do, you think, as you watch Papyrus’ eyelight blaze blue, the same color taking over the steel beams and lifting them in the direction of the building.

The monsters wave you off at every turn, insisting that you should take today to do your actual job, which you figure you’ve put off long enough. The expansive forest looms ahead but you feel comforted rather than threatened as you take off at a sprint through the underbrush.

It feels almost like you never met the monsters as you traverse through the forest. Quiet. Alone. Your only companion the occasional curious forest creature, and even those are sparse in the cold of winter. After a while you start to come across hunting traps and quickly disable and confiscate the machines. It almost feels normal, for a while.

The silence is deafening compared to the slight murmur you’ve grown used to in your own home, but it doesn’t last long. “H-hey! Is so- cough- is someone there?” You immediately veer off the road and head towards the strained voice, eyes locking on recently upturned snow. You follow it for a few yards before a sudden drop meets your eyes. Peering down, you see an unfortunately familiar face.

“I thought you would still be in the hospital.” You state as you stare down at the fox furred man below. He has a cast around his right arm and it looks like his ankle is also twisted. Must’ve happened when he fell if the drops of fresh blood are anything to go by.

“Oh thank goodness I found you! I asked around and everyone said you’d be out here… Um… I’m in a bit of trouble. Could you help me out?” You sigh, knowing that it’s your job to help this injured man. You begrudgingly take out a rope from your pack and tie it around the base of the closest tree, throwing the loose end down and telling the man to tie it around his waist and hold on tightly. It doesn’t take long to pull him out of the trench he somehow found himself in.

“Let me see your leg.” You mumble as the man lowers to a sitting position. He quickly follows your orders and flinches as the purple and yellow bruise makes itself known. You hum a little before pulling a medical treatment and bandages out of your bag.

“Why were you looking for me?” You ask, making the man fidget. He toys with the necklace around his neck for a few seconds before finally speaking up.

“You- um- you’re a fox, right? But you’re so confident, so sure of everything you do. I’ve never met someone like you. I wanted to ask… Why, and how, you’re so confident.” He stumbles on his words, obviously nervous. You look up and meet his dark brown eyes for only a few seconds before quickly tying off the bandage you’d been working on.

“What does it matter that I'm a fox? Other people might judge you for who they think you are, but the ones that matter are those who take the time to look past preconceived notions and get to know who you are, past your skin tone, past the clothes you wear. Ignore the people who make assumptions based on what you look like, and pay attention to the people who look deeper than surface level.” You stand and feel the sun beating on the back of your head. Someone might describe your look as angelic in that moment, but you hardly notice the look of awe on the man’s face.

“C’mon, try out your leg. If you can walk on your own, I’ll walk you to the edge of my forest and towards town.” The man scrambles to his feet, stumbling a little on the way. He takes a few cautious steps before glancing back with a wide smile on his face. You offer your own smile then nod your head in the correct direction.

“So, um, are you dating anyone?” The man asks eventually, making you trip over a loose twig before quickly righting yourself.

“No. But I’m not interested in you.” You state bluntly and the man looks sadly at the ground. Shut down so quickly, not even a chance to recover.

The rest of the walk is filled with uncomfortable silence as you think of the question he’d asked. Obviously, you aren’t dating anyone, but would you want to? And if so, who do you consider the best match? Your first thought is of smooth bones and you let your mind wander to the skeleton brothers. 

Papyrus is so cheery, so full of joy. He’s active and would help you on patrols if monsters were normalized on the surface. He’s a good cook after being taught correctly and would probably be a very good big spoon during a cuddle session. 

Sans is calm and patient, always happy to lend a non-existent ear and takes his time in forming opinions. You could probably cart him around easily, considering his koala-like nature and he can be surprisingly strong when needed. You think of all of the jokes he’s made to cheer you up and a gentle smile overtakes your lips.

Alright, so maybe you have a little crush on the brothers. The question is, could you ever pick between the two of them? And do they even like you back in that way? Geez, you’ve never been much of a romantic. How do you even date when it’s hard to go outside for more than a couple hours at a time? As your thought spiral you don’t even realize you’ve reached the gate that leads towards town. You quickly unlock it and usher the man out, telling him to stay safe on the way home.

You turn back the way you came but something feels off. You stop a few times to scan your surroundings but nothing appears out of the ordinary. Just as you begin to relax Papyrus pops up out of nowhere, scaring you and causing you to slip. Everything happens so fast you don’t even know what happened until you open your eyes to see pitch black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...
> 
> Next Chapter: Trapped
> 
> Hehe I know I updated just yesterday, but I was really excited to leave you guys on this cliffhanger. If you have any suggestions or questions, feel free to reach out to me on my [Tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/punnypearlpeppermint)! 'Till next time~


	15. Trapped

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which you and Papyrus find yourselves stuck in a hole

“Papyrus?” You whisper and reach around your back for your bag. It isn’t there, which only causes your anxiety to spike. Taking a deep breath to calm your nerves you begin to assess what little you can make of your situation.

You fell, probably down the hole you’d noticed just moments before Papyrus popped up. The edges were jagged and probably snagged on your backpack causing it to fall off your shoulders. It’s possible it’s still around, but you should also prepare in case you can’t find it. You aren’t sure if Papyrus followed you down, but you vaguely remember hands gripping at your wrists (that are stinging, now that you think of it). You sigh and take a box of matches from your back pocket, lighting one to briefly illuminate your surroundings.

Sure enough, Papyrus is lying face-down not too far away and you spot your bag just behind him. Your friend has a bit of dirt covering his face and clothes but you don’t see any blood… Do skeletons even bleed? The match begins burning the tips of your fingers and you scramble forward to snatch up your backpack before the meager light you have goes out.

Soon you have a flashlight clutched in your hands and are able to get a better feel for the cave you’ve found yourself trapped in. The walls are steep and probably hard to climb, even if it hadn’t rained earlier. At least it’s a wide area, you suppose. You shouldn’t start feeling the claustrophobia for at least a little while.

There are damp twigs scattered about, not the best for kindling, but something is better than nothing, you suppose. It’ll allow for more smoke, which is what you need.

With the fire made, you take the next few moments to look and see how Papyrus is doing. He’s got a bump on his head, which is probably what made him knock out. Otherwise, he’s doing well. You take out your bandages and wrap the few scrapes the two of you received from the fall and gather a little pile of snow to place over his injury. There’s nowhere else to go, and you don’t want to leave Papyrus alone, so you settle next to your friend and rest your eyes. There’s nothing else you can do until he’s awake.

It’s almost an hour later when Papyrus begins to stir, rubbing at his head and groaning. You raise your head to observe him, though you don’t say anything in case he has a migraine. Eventually, Papyrus locks eyes with you and you both have a moment in which nothing is said or done. Then Papyrus looks at the makeshift roof above the both of you and fear is the only thing you can see in his expression.

“Hey, it’s okay, Pappy. I promise. We’ll get out of here in no time.” You whisper, trying to keep your voice low and soothing. The skeleton shakes violently and curls in on himself and you crawl over to envelop him in a hug. He returns the gesture, pulling you over and into his lap until you’re closer to a teddy bear than a human being.

“I won’t let us stay trapped down here… please… sans, where are you…” Papyrus begins to mumble, and his low tone shocks you enough to look back and observe his face. Fat wet tears roll down his cheeks and he presses closer in an attempt to prevent you from seeing anything else.

“C’mon, Pappy, it’ll be alright. I won’t let anything happen to us.” You assure the shaking monster, but he doesn’t seem convinced. In fact, he begins shaking more violently, especially when he gasps your name.

“Y-You’re down here, too! Oh stars, oh no… If you’re down here, too, how will we ever get out?? Does your magic even work Underground?” You’re beginning to realize that he thinks the both of you are underground and not, in fact, stuck in a normal cave. Okay, you can work with this. You just gotta assure him you’re still on the surface.

“Paps, I swear we’re not Underground right now. Please, look around.” You gesture outwards and feel his head shift against your back, peering around the spacious cave. He peers upwards and relaxes when he realizes the smoke from your fire is wafting through a hole in the ceiling.

“Human… I-I Realize You Don’t Feel Comfortable With Encounters, But Could I Pull You Into One? I Feel Like… Having A Semblance Of Normalcy Will Help Me Calm Down.” You think over his words for a moment before deciding that it wouldn’t be a bad idea to pass the time while simultaneously calming your friend down.

“Okay, Papyrus. Just, um, no big attacks. I’m not sure about the integrity of this cave.” Papyrus nods before standing up and crossing the barren floor. You stand opposite to him and relax your shoulders while Papyrus raises his hand, pulling your soul out. 

The world turns even darker than before, though your soul is bright enough to keep your fear at bay. The color drains from Papyrus’ clothes and leaves him completely black and white.

“I WOULD LIKE TO TRY AND TURN YOUR SOUL BLUE, IF THAT’S ALRIGHT WITH YOU. IF IT WORKS, YOU’LL FEEL HEAVIER. THOUGH, SEEING AS YOU CAN EXPEL MAGIC, IT MIGHT NOT WORK.” Papyrus’ words float above his head and when you nod your head in understanding, he raises his hand and something clicks in your soul.

You watch carefully as your soul splits in two, one half turning upside down and white while the other half fades from a burning red to a calming blue. You aren’t as scared of the magic this time and genuinely want to understand it, you want to get through this fight to help Papyrus feel better. The echo never returns and your soul stays as it is.

Suddenly, the weight of your soul hits you like a freight train and you collapse to your knees. When Papyrus said you’d get a little heavier, you didn’t realize he meant the weight would go straight to your legs. Slowly regaining your bearings, you manage to rise back into a standing position and give Papyrus and thumbs-up.

“YOU’RE BLUE NOW!” Papyrus cheers, then sends a few small bone constructs your way. It’s hard to make your legs jump over the white colored attacks, but you manage, and let out a sigh when you’re safely back on the ground.

“WHY DON’T YOU TRY CHECKING ME? IF WE LOCK EYES, YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO IT. THE EYES ARE THE WINDOW TO THE SOUL, AFTER ALL.” Papyrus chirps and you follow his directions, glancing into the black expanses that make up his sockets. You swear you can see little white pinpricks in there.

Suddenly, a box pops up in front of you, covered in flavor text. 

*PAPYRUS 8ATK 2DEF  
*Still nervous, but feeling better now that you’re here

How sweet! You glance up at Papyrus and nod, telling him that you’re done with your Check. The skeleton raises his hand to ready an attack while the box disappears. Soon, you’re back to hopping over his attacks. It’s soothing, in a way, to be weighed down by your own soul. Like a weighted blanket covering your body. It may prevent too many movements, but you’re warm and safe.

It’s your turn again and Papyrus has no suggestions to give, so you decide to start up a friendly conversation. Papyrus laughs at a joke you tell before scowling when you admit there was a pun in the sentence.

“WATCH AND BE AMAZED, HUMAN! THESE ARE CALLED BLUE ATTACKS. WHEN THEY COME AT YOU, STOP. LIKE BLUE STOP SIGN!” Papyrus explains, then sends a barrage of glowing blue bones your way. You stand still and watch as the bones phase through your body. Weird. It’s back to your turn and you decide to up your antics and give him a compliment.

“You’re looking nice today.” You state, because it’s true. He looks especially radiant under the slight patches of sunlight filtering through the cave entrance. Papyrus blushes and mutters something about a ‘genuine compliment’ but his speech bubble goes away before you can read more into it.

“I THINK… I’VE CALMED DOWN ENOUGH, NOW. I SPARE YOU, HUMAN.” Papyrus’ posture goes lax and you follow his actions, causing the world to return to color. Your soul is still floating in front of your face but once you think of dispelling the magic placed on it, the heart snaps back to its normal shape and color before retreating into your chest.

Papyrus clutches at his chest just as you do and the two of you are quiet for a few moments as you come down from the battle high.

“That was… certainly something. Do you want to get something to eat? It’s close to lunch time, anyway.” You gesture to the fire and Papyrus nods before settling down next to it. You pull some dried foods from your bag and distribute them before taking a small pot from your bag and setting it up. You and papyrus enjoy your meal of dried fruits and meat, along with a small serving of the canned soup you cooked over the fire, before settling down and cuddling closer together to just watch the fire and share stories.

It’s almost nightfall when you hear a branch snap overhead and quickly rouse your friend from his sleep. At this point in time, the person outside could be one of your friends or a local, so you take care to pull Papyrus’ hood over his head.

Your name is called by a familiar voice and you squint up to see white pinpricks looking down at you. The juxtaposition to the first day you met the monsters is clear and makes you chuckle, even as Papyrus begins cheering and Sans nearly weeps with joy at having found the both of you. 

In a manner of moments the other monsters are crowding around and using a rope you’d instructed them to retrieve to pull you back up to safety. Papyrus pulls everyone into a group hug as soon as he’s back on his feet and you all head back home for dinner.

Glancing back at the hole, you feel a pang of dread. Your magic started up when you were pulled from the ground, which can only mean one thing. You were trapped underground.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You: So why didn’t you use your blue magic to raise me out of the hole?  
> Papyrus: I DIDN’T WANT TO BE ALONE ;-;
> 
> Next Chapter: Construction
> 
> Hehe i'm making quick work of this story! We're almost to the main conflict, folks! If you guys have any questions or suggestions, feel free to reach out to me on my [Tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/punnypearlpeppermint)! 'Till next time~


	16. Construction

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which you and Sans go out to close some holes

The next few weeks consist of the monsters starting the framing for the house while you and Sans go around filling in holes that lead to the Underground. Apparently, he sensed your magic go off when he pulled you out of the hole earlier and came to the same conclusion you did.

Umbra lets out a bark as she chases after a wild rabbit and you laugh when she slips on the sheer ice beneath her paws. The husky eventually comes back and curls around Sans’ legs a couple times before settling down, prompting the rest of your little group to take a break as well.

“so, um… it seems like you’re getting better at the whole magic thing. paps mentioned your soul didn’t immediately snap back when you and him got into an encounter the other day.” Sans seems nervous, but you aren’t sure about what.

“Yeah. I just kind of… felt Determined to calm him down, and surprisingly, my soul stayed in that weird split form.” You shrug and lean down to pet the pooch at your feet. She licks your gloved hands a couple times before turning on her back to allow you to rub her belly.

“don’t you think it’s kind of odd, though? humans were supposed to have lost their magic after it was all sealed underground, but somehow, the one human who still has magic found themselves at the crux between the underground and the surface. it just seems too convenient.” Sans seems frustrated, like these thoughts have been bothering him for a while now. He’s clearly not blaming this on you, and he’s not suspicious of your motives anymore, but he doesn’t know what else to think. Nothing’s adding up.

“It’s not too odd, if you ask me. The magic had to come from somewhere, and if I’ve been living close to magic my whole life, it’s understandable I’ll start to soak it up, knowingly or not.” You kick at the snow beneath your feet, trying to organize your thoughts before moving on.

“My mum used to live out here, even before she met my Pops. She was the ranger before me, actually. And before her was my gramps. That’s a long line of foxes to end up in the same house, next to a very specific opening where certain monsters come from. Maybe all that magic accumulated overtime and I just so happened to get lucky with it.” Sans mulls over your words for a while and the both of you fall into a comfortable silence. He eventually breaks it with a disgruntled hum.

“and you don’t find it odd that this specific area needs a ranger at all? no offence, but this is a big area for one person to run all on their own, and there seem to be specific regulations that don’t make sense. you can hunt everywhere else on this mountain, except this specific forest. it seems like having a fox as the ranger is a tradition at this point. and i’m gonna go out on a limb here and guess that people aren’t supposed to be on that frozen-over lake.” You nod along with your friend’s words, because they’re all true. Very strange rules indeed.

“I’ve never thought it was weird to have that lake rule, but all of the others are kind of odd. Plus, it seems a little strange to assign an outcast fox to this area if it’s important enough to be protected. We don’t get any respect.” You mention off-handedly, which only seems to make the gears in Sans’ head turn more. Something seems to click in his mind and he’s suddenly staring at your chest.

“Of course! I think I know why this is all so weird. You’ve mentioned pulling people out of the ground or holes that they got stuck in, but would you really say they were all unscalable?” You shake your head no, then gesture for Sans to continue.

“then somebody must know that the barrier is keeping people trapped in these random holes, and they sent you out here to make sure they don’t get stuck. that must be what the previous rangers were out here for as well. your mum was probably a mage, and your gramps as well. the person before him, and even well into the past. that’s why humans never fell into the underground. your people were so vigilant.” You flinch at that word and look away, but the movement draws Sans’ attention.

“even so, people still fell down sometimes… and the last one…”

“Fell down the same hole you guys crawled out of. I know. I was there.” You sigh and think back to that day, around five years ago.

“He was… my best friend. He was planning on going to the army, and he had the athletic prowess to do it. In fact, he might’ve been the best damn sniper i’d ever met. I was resting at home when one of our mutual friends came banging on my door, shouting that he’d fallen into some ice.

“I kind of assumed they meant he’d slipped and gotten an injury, nothing as drastic as what they were shouting about. Told ‘em to sit in the game room and calm down, that i’d be back in no time. I’d only had the job for a couple months at that point. I had no clue what would happen next.” You sigh and fiddle with your gloves before taking them off  
and rolling up your sleeves, revealing a long scar that you know runs up to your shoulder, but the part you see now starts just above your wrist.

“I tried to drag him back up, but he was already slipping out of my grasp. I tried… I tried so hard to save him. I was determined to save him, but I just couldn’t do it. Before I knew it, he’d slipped through my fingers.” You stand up and pace a little, letting your thoughts and guilt run rampant.

“I could have saved him! If I had just been a little faster, a little more serious, he would still be here! And I know, I know I was just a kid, but that’s not an excuse. It was my job to keep him safe. It’s still my job, to make sure that everyone is safe, but I just don’t know if I can do it. I don’t know if I can keep the stupid poachers away from you guys, I don’t know if I can pull everyone out of the Underground, I don’t even know my own emotions!

“Who am I? What am I doing here? I can’t even save my best friend, and now it sounds like everyone’s expecting me to stay here until the day I die, pulling people out of these stupid holes. I didn’t even want this job, Dad!” You shout, and listen as the last word echoes around you. Tears are streaming down your cheeks by now and you roughly scrub at your eyes.

“I didn’t even want this stupid job…” You sob and lower to your knees, cradling your head in your hands. A hand settles on your shoulder, but when you don’t react beyond a slight shudder, Sans pulls you closer to himself, eventually shifting the both of you into a comfortable position.

“no one’s forcing you to do anything, kid. if you wanna leave, you can. if you wanna stay, you can. heck, if you wanna go underground and live your life in peace, no one’s gonna stop ya. you’ve already done so much. it’s time to rest.” Sans’ lulling tone pulls you from your thoughts and you lean further into his hold. You could almost fall asleep, with how comfortable and warm you are.

With the last few seconds of consciousness you possess, you find the courage to say the last thought remaining in your mind. “You guys… are the best thing that’s happened to me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All of you: Sleepy confessions??  
> Me: nah
> 
> Next Chapter: Cross Pollinating
> 
> Ah, I do so love tying up loose ends~ There's only a few more chapters until the main conflict of this story comes up, so if you guys have any suggestions for fluff chapters, feel free to tell my on my [Tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/punnypearlpeppermint)! 'Till next time~


	17. Cross Pollinating

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the first ever monster-human crossbreed is made

“Ranger! I wanna show you something. Meet me at the greenhouse later, yeah?” You hear Fluff call through your door. You aren’t entirely sure how you got home in the first place, but you decide not to dwell on it and get ready for the day. 

The smells of breakfast are already wafting through your house, and your stomach makes a noticeably loud grumble. Rushing through your morning routine, you throw your door open and trounce over to the dining table where most of your house mates are already gathered.

“I haven’t slept that well in forever! How’s construction going? Do you think it will take much longer?” You ask Bluff when he passes a plate your way. It’s already stacked with food and you happily dig in as the bunny monster describes how far along they are.

“... All in all, it should only be another couple of weeks.” Bluff finishes his explanation. He seems to be thinking of something so you wait for him to get his thoughts together before taking off for the day.

“I’ve never seen my sister as happy as she was this morning. You should hurry off and see her.” He settles on, then heads out of the kitchen. Whatever Fluff has to show you must be important if even her standoffish brother is insisting you go check it out.

You make the quick trek across your land and enter the greenhouse without another thought, but stop dead in your tracks when you see all of the renovations made. There are pots hanging from every available surface with thick purple ivy's bursting from within them, a glowing blue pond now sits in the corner of the room with lily pads and bulrushes peeking out, flowers that glow the same hue as the water sit nearby, and in the middle of it all is a singular pot. The only indication that it holds something within being a single white leaf.

“Wow, Fluff! This is amazing!” You gasp as you shrug off your jacket and quickly hang it up before stepping further into the room.

“I know, right? And you’re gonna freak when you see what’s in this baby.” Fluff puffs out her chest as she gestures to the pot in the middle of the room. You approach and peek into the bowl, but don’t see anything you didn’t see before.

“I don’t get it. What’s it supposed to be?” You question and watch as the bunny monster deflates at your words.

“It’s a cross breed between snowbell and echo flowers.” She states simply, and points to the glowing blue flowers and normal white bells respectively. You aren’t sure what an echo flower is, but you are familiar with snowbells, and you’re pretty sure they don’t crossbreed easily.

“Huh. How’d you mix two genuses of flowers? And a magical one at that…” Fluff perks up a bit more at your curiosity and opens her mouth to start explaining when a jingle sounds from in front of you.

“Ooh! It’s sprouting! Step back a little, this is the first one that’s made it past germination and I don’t know what it’s gonna do.” Fluff pushes you behind her admittedly small body, as if she could grant you some sort of protection. You both lean over curiously as three blue flowers sprout from the white stalk. Huh. Kind of anticlimactic.

*ting*

You look back at the flowers and see that they are gently swaying despite the lack of wind and are slowly creating some sort of melody. Fluff gasps excitedly and begins jumping up and down, rambling about her new creation and spouting theories about what sort of properties the thing might have.

You listen to her ramble for a while, but eventually hear a change in the flower’s tune as she begins to calm down. The gentle clicking slows down and comes to a stop just as Fluff stops rambling.

“Huh. Looks like it reacts to voices. I’ll have to test some more, but this’ll be a good start.” Fluff hums and takes a note book from her apron, jots something down, then turns back to you.

“Obviously, I called you out here to check out the first monster-human crossbred flower, but there’s something else I wanted to discuss.” The bunny monster gestures to a couple stools which you gladly settle upon.

“So~ I’m not much for romance, as strange as that might seem. I mean, c’mon, I’m an adorable bunny who loves flowers and cute things. It just seems natural to also be in love with the idea of love, but it just never seemed to come up, especially when I was underground. Things were too tense, too hopeless, to focus on anything other than supplying the town with food.” Fluff sighs and runs her paw through the tuft of fur atop her head.

“But things have changed. I- Ugh, this is embarrassing… I think I might like Wolf? Cliche, I know. The cute little bunny falling for the big protective wolf. You’ll actually be surprised to know that i’m more powerful than they are, magically, at least.” Fluff puffs out her chest and you let out a little giggle at her prideful look.

“Okay, so you like Wolf,” Fluff shoots you a cross look and you amend, “at least, you think you do. And it seems like you haven’t been on a date or anything like that before. Maybe that’ll be a good test, just ask them on a date. You can say it’s platonic, and use the opportunity to get to know them better. If you guys are compatible, ask them on a second date. If not, then at least you know you tried.”

“You make it sound so easy! Though, I guess you got Paps and Sans to like you somehow. Why don’t you tell me how you asked them out, maybe I’ll get some ideas.” A blush immediately lights up your cheeks at Fluff’s words and you hide your face behind your hands.

“I-I’m not dating anyone!” You shout from behind your hands, only to hear Fluff’s high-pitched laughter at your embarrassed reaction.

“Really? You’re not together with them? ‘Cause with the looks you all give eachother, I could’ve sworn-” Fluff cuts herself off to let out another loud laugh when you shoot her a glare.

“What looks? I haven’t seen any looks.” You state defensively and move your arms to cross over your chest. This conversation is embarrassing…

“That’s ‘cause you never look at people’s faces. Well, sometimes you do. But you hate looking people in the face when you aren’t talking to them.” You can’t argue, because you know she’s speaking the truth, but that doesn’t mean you have to like it.

“Okay, so I might not like looking at people in the face. I still highly doubt I could miss two people I like giving me goo-goo eyes.” You snap your mouth shut when you realize what you just said and watch regretfully as Fluff’s mouth quirks into the widest grin you’ve ever seen.

“Ooh, so you admit to liking them. And I know how you feel about lying~ Man, this day keeps getting better and better!” The bunny monster cackles, almost falling out of her stool in the process.

“Yeah, yeah, laugh it up. Can we please get back on topic?” You huff but there’s no bite to your words. Fluff’s features soften and she quickly straightens herself back to the proper position before continuing her original line of questioning.

“Okay, so you aren’t dating the skeleton brothers. Have you been out with anyone else?” You mull her words over before giving a hesitant nod. Fluff recognizes the hesitance in your posture and quickly assures you that you needn’t go into it if you don’t want to.

“Nah, it’s good to talk about it. I was dating a corvid, back in highschool. They were super smart, always at the top of the class. And they absolutely loved music. That’s how we met. I was playing the piano in an old music room when they wandered in and sat down near the entrance, just working on their homework and stuff. I almost tripped over them on the way out.” You chuckle and rub the back of your neck at the memory.

“One thing led to another and soon that was our meet-up spot. After classes, every day, they would sit and listen to me play for hours. When I was having trouble with classes, they would tutor me and help get my grades up. We never saw eachother unless it was in that room, but I thought it was romantic. A little secret relationship between the most powerful cub and the smartest fledgling.” Your face falls as you remember the next part of the story.

“I saw them outside once, getting groceries or something like that. I ran up to them and gave them our usual greeting, but they screamed and pushed me away, like I hurt them.” You sigh and run a hand through your hair, then continue your story. “Turns out there was a reason I never saw them outside of that music room. They were actively avoiding me, keeping our relationship a secret so they wouldn’t be seen with a freak.”

Fluff’s soft paw covers your hands and you give her a grateful squeeze. “I never got in another relationship after that. I was too scared of getting my heart broken. But, um… I think I’d be willing to try.” You blush, but your hands are occupied, so you can’t cover your face with them.

“With one of the brothers? Or, well, I’ve met a few monsters who don’t mind polyamory. It’s actually pretty normal, to have a couple partners. It’s hard to have kids in the Underground, and oftentimes, kids need multiple parents to give them the required amount of hope and nourishment. I’m not saying you need to date both of them, of course! But you seem to care about both of them an awful lot. I honestly can’t picture one of them with you without the other being there as well.”

“Oh. Well… I guess that makes sense… The whole multiple partner thing, that is. I could picture myself with either of them, but both is kind of…” Your blush deepens and you snatch your hands away from Fluff’s to cover your cheeks. “It sounds nice…” You eventually whisper as your nerves settle.

“That’s good, ‘cause…” Fluff trails off and you peek up to see her looking at the doorway. You know you noticed a slight draft a couple minutes ago, but you were too focused on the conversation to equate the feeling to the sound of the door opening.

There, standing in the doorway, are the very same skeletons you had just been talking about, both with bright blushes covering their features.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Fluff: I need some advice for asking Wolf out.  
> You: Well, here's some more of my tragic backstory. You might be able to glean some advice from that.
> 
> Next Chapter: Apologies
> 
> Hah bet y'all didn't expect that sort of confession. I honestly didn't either, but that's what happened. If you have any questions or suggestions for future chapters, feel free to reach out to me on my [Tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/punnypearlpeppermint)! 'Till next time~


	18. Apologies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which you clear some things up with your favorite skeletons.

“Stars kill me now.” You whisper, even as Papyrus gasps and Sans chuckles.

“HUMAN!!! I DID NOT REALIZE YOU FELT THE SAME WAY!” Papyrus moves forward to try to get closer to you but stops when he realizes how many rows of plants are in the way. He seems to puzzle over how to get to the middle of the greenhouse, but you stop him from having to make the decision.

“Could you wait outside for a minute? I’m just gonna finish up here, then I’ll be out.” You tell the skeletons with a nervous smile. Knowing you don’t enjoy lying, they nod and head outside. You quickly reel on Fluff once you’re sure they are no longer in ear shot.

“Dude! You could’ve warned me! Or, y’know, stopped pushing the topic when you realized they were coming.” You scowl and Fluff raises her hands in a placating manner.

“Hey, I didn’t know they were coming! I asked everyone if they wanted to come over and see the new breed of flower today, but I didn’t realize Sans and Paps would come while you were still here.” Fluff defends herself and you feel your anger simmering down. She obviously didn’t expect the skeleton brothers to come in right as you said that. It’s your own fault for not paying better attention to your surroundings.

“Sorry for blowing up on you like that… I guess I’ll go… Talk to them now.” You sigh and stand up, eyeing the door with suspicion. Before you can go, Fluff catches your wrist and turns you around to face her.

“Hey, I know this is really random, and it’s really a long time coming, but… I wanted to apologize for being so suspicious of you when I first got up here. It may not have seemed like it, but I was actually really scared. Scared that you’d hurt me… Or Bluff… But you didn’t deserve that fear, and you still don’t. So, sorry for everything.” Fluff seems serious as she speaks, and you nod your head in understanding.

“I get it. If I’m being honest, I really wasn’t sure how to handle all of you at the beginning. It was all so new, and the implications that a whole race of people was trapped just beneath my feet was overwhelming. I shouldn’t have lashed out at the first sign of bad behaviour on your end. For that, I apologize, but I will not say that I regret my actions.” You bow your head in your own apology that Fluff gratefully accepts. With that, you both wave eachother good-bye. Now to deal with… your crushes.

You’re already blushing by the time you step out into the cold. You’re honestly not sure how you’re going to deal with this confession. Probably… Do what you always do? Tell the truth and hope everything goes well from there. Sans and Papyrus are leaning against the storage bin, looking as casual as ever, but there is an evident blush on Sans’ cheeks and Papyrus seems somehow more jovial than usual.

“Hey! Um… Sorry you had to figure out like that. I actually… Was wanting to tell you guys, but I wasn’t sure how? Or even if I could without it seeming like I was leading you both on? A-Anyways… Could you follow me for a bit? I wanna show you something.” Your blush burns hotter the more you ramble and it doesn’t take a genius to notice that you’re flustered. Even so, the two skeleton monsters nod and follow you in silence as you lead them deeper into your forest.

So, while you definitely were not expecting to be doing this today, you had been planning on confessing soon. That’s to say, you have a little area planned out, filled with all of your favorite things, and stuff you’ve noticed the brothers like as well.

“M’kay, we’re here.” You hum as you pull a bush away to reveal the mouth of a cave. It doesn’t go too deep into the mountainside, and considering you’re able to walk in and out without the help of a monster, it’s not a part of the Barrier that keeps monsters stuck Underground. Papyrus looks a little hesitant to go in, but when you waltz in without a care in the world and quickly like a fire, all hesitance disappears and is replaced with wonder.

Hanging from the top of the cave are strips of leather that bundle up occasionally to hold orbs of glass. The fire reflects off the spheres to create a myriad of colored light the bounces off the walls to illuminate the other decorations. Surrounding the hearth in the center of the room are bundles of your softest furs, which you quickly settle upon and gesture for the skeletons to follow.

“where’d you get the time to pull all of this together?” Sans questions in dazed wonderment. He wanders to the pile of pelts you’re burrowing in and quickly snuggles closer to your side. Papyrus seems more focused on scoping out the rest of the cave, but you’re okay with that. There are plenty of other features to be seen, and you’d be damned if they didn’t find out how much care you put into this nest.

“I’ve been setting it up since a little before Papyrus and I got trapped in that hole… It was originally going to be a hand out spot for us to jest relax in, but… Heh, I kind of figured out I have a crush on both of you? So I changed it up a little.” You shrug and burrow closer to Sans, both in an attempt to get warmer and to test and see if he’d pull away, or if he’s uncomfortable. To your immense relief, he cuddles you right back.

“OOH! YOU STORED MY FAVORITE KIND OF HOT COCOA HERE! AND SANS’ TEA! CAN WE WARM SOME UP?” Papyrus questions and you quickly nod and make grabby hands towards the drinks. Papyrus places them in your hands and you set up a kettle over the fire before retrieving some water and waiting for the pot to begin whistling.

Papyrus settles on your other side as you wait for the drinks to finish steeping. It almost feels mundane, to be cuddled with the both of them, making drinks and basking in the fire light. Your thought warms your heart.

“Okay, so, you guys know how I feel… Can I know how you feel in return?” You wonder, but you don’t want to push them. If they aren’t ready yet, you can wait. You aren’t the most patient person in the world, but for them you’ll try your best.

Luckily, it seems like you won’t have to wait as Papyrus clears his throat and fidgets with his hands. For a few moments, it looks like he’s going to start a sentence, only to stop and try again. “WELL… AHEM, I DO REALLY LIKE YOU, AND I COULD SEE US AS MORE THAN FRIENDS, DEFINITELY.” Papyrus rubs the back of his neck nervously, then looks to his brother for help.

“yeah, kid. you’re really sweet, and… well, i’ve never felt this way about anyone before…” Sans’ blush darkens as he talks, and you feel your own cheeks heating up. Okay. Okay, they both like you. Does that mean you’re dating now, or..?

“W-wow, uh, that’s really sweet of both of you. So, um, are we dating now?” The fire in your cheeks is almost too much, but Papyrus’ tangerine and Sans’ navy glow somehow makes you feel better about your nerves.

“I GUESS… YES, WE ARE! I- IF YOU WANT TO, THAT IS.” Papyrus quickly corrects himself, but you wouldn’t have asked if you didn’t want to be together with them.

“Of course! I want to be with you- both of you!” It sounds… Kind of selfish, when you word it like that, but you’ve never made a big decision for yourself like this. You’ve never been able to treat your life like it’s _yours_. It feels freeing to be able to make this sort of decision, without any sort of regrets or another person’s opinion butting against yours.

“then there’s no problem here. paps and i really admire you, and if you’ll have us, then we’ll have you right back.” Sans’ grin is so bright as he looks up at you in admiration, and honestly, it just feels right as you lean down and place a gentle kiss to his cheek.

“Of course I’ll be with you. For as long as you’ll have me, I want to stay by your sides, I want to spend every moment together. And if the time ever comes when we are separated, I want you guys to know I will always find you again.” Papyrus pulls you closer and places a nuzzle to the top of your head, which makes you giggle at the strange feeling.

“LET US HOPE THAT DAY NEVER COMES.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *You: But, like, do you guys bone?  
> Papyrus: I THOUGHT WE WERE HAVING A MOMENT!!
> 
> Next Chapter: Spring
> 
> AHHH!!! I never thought I'd get this far, omg, i'm making myself blush  
> If you guys have any suggestions for the next chapter (which is going to be complete and absolute fluff; just, like, date nights galore) I would love to hear them! You can reach out to me on my [Tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/punnypearlpeppermint) and I'll gladly hear you out! 'Till next time~


	19. Spring

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Spring finally arrives.

Pleasant bird song reaches your ears and you slowly peek an eye open to look around your room. Everything is the same as ever, piano in the corner, drawers filled with pelts and cloth, skeletons on either side of you… Skeletons one either side of you?!

You quickly rub your eyes, but when you open them back up, there are indeed two very asleep skeletons cuddling up as close as they dare. Which is quite close, you notice, as Sans’ hand flexes against your hips and the feeling of long legs wrapped around your own limbs suddenly registers in your half-awake mind.

As quietly and delicately as possible, you extract yourself from the bone pile and sneak out of your room, only to run into a very smug looking Undyne. “So~ You and the skeletons, eh?” She purrs and your cheeks immediately heat up at the insinuation.

“W-Well I mean… Yeah? But not in the way you’re thinking! Don’t give me that look. Stop!” You shout and curse after her as she guffaws all the way into the kitchen. She stops dead suddenly and turns with the coldest look you’ve ever seen present on her face.

“Hurt them and I will personally see to it you never see the sun again.” The ice in her voice could freeze the tundra over a second time, and you quickly nod, not wishing to get on her bad side. Undyne’s face immediately brightens up at your compliance and she pats you on the back hard enough to make you stumble.

“Great! Well, I’m gonna get started on breakfast. Why don’t you go wake your new datemates up with a smile?” She suggests and pushes you back towards your room. You’d kind of been hoping to make breakfast, but this is fine too… As long as she doesn’t burn your house down.

You step into your room and smile down at the lazy bones nestled comfortably in your sheets. It still feels a bit too early to wake them, so you instead turn to your piano and play a few softer pieces, trying to ease them out of their slumber. With the sun shining through your opened drapes, the soft tinkling of your piano, and the smells of breakfast wafting through your open door, it’s no surprise that Sans blearily peeks his socket open and looks around in confusion.

“Morning sleepy bones.” You hum as the shorter skeleton slowly sits up and rubs at his sockets.

“ ‘morning babe.” He murmurs back, causing your ears to heat up in a blush. You chuckle to cover up the sudden heat rising to your cheeks and begin to play slightly louder, suddenly intent on waking up your other date mate. Sure enough, only a couple measures into your new song, Papyrus shoots awake and begins looking around frantically. When his eyelights land on you, he calms down and the tension in his shoulders eases.

“GOOD MORNING, DEAR.” Papyrus cheers, which only flusters you further.

“Heh, good morning Paps. Breakfast should be ready soon. How about you guys go get ready, and after breakfast, you can help me with my chores for the day.” You offer and get an immediate upvote from Papyrus, but Sans doesn't look quite so keen. You smirk and walk around the bed to help Sans out, only to gain a new accessory as he latches his arms around your neck and wraps his legs around your waist.

“Babe, I can’t walk like this.” You deadpan at the clingy skeleton. He snores in response and you let out an exasperated sigh. Papyrus snickers at your plight before walking out of the room and towards the kitchen.

“Fine, no kisses for you.” You threaten and immediately the smaller skeleton disentangles himself from your hold. You smirk at the quick response and press a smooch to his cheek.

By the time you reach the table, everyone is already sitting and laughing, enjoying the fresh food and slightly warmer air. You glance out the window and realize there are little green sprouts peeking out from the usual white, which makes you smile. Looks like spring is here.

“I’m gonna get started on some furniture for the building. If you guys need me, I’ll be in front of the storage container.” You tell them while everyone is getting their jobs for the day in order. Papyrus lights up at your words and immediately offers to help you build. You agree and soon after the two of you are heading towards the storage bin with Fluff hot on your heels.

“Dude, I did what you said, and Wolf actually said yes!” Fluff enthuses along the trip, and you smile wide at her uppity attitude. It did look like the two were sitting closer together during breakfast, now that you’re thinking back on it. Good for them!

“I’m happy for you guys. Have you decided where you wanna take them for your date?”

“Yep! But I’m not gonna tell you. If they asked, you’d just tell them the truth!” Fluff puffs out her cheeks in a mock pout before you both bust out laughing. Up ahead, the greenhouse comes into view, so you wave her off before taking Papyrus’ hand and dragging him towards the storage bin.

Inside, the bin is practically emptied of the logs that once tok up half of the space, and the wood tools have all been moved from their usual resting spots. You take a few moments to locate some blueprints while Papyrus moves the pieces of wood out into the snow for future use.

“I’m thinking of making some armchairs, benches… Probably a couch like the one in the living room. Do you think we should make beds? Monsters come in a lot of different sizes, it might not be worth it to make beds that are too small for anyone to fit on.”

“YOU’RE RIGHT ABOUT THE BED THING, DEAR. YOU STILL HAVE A SURPLUS OF FURS, MAYBE WE CAN MAKE THE MAIN SLEEPING QUARTERS INTO A GIANT NEST. AND THE SMALLER QUARTERS CAN BE FOR MORE SPECIALIZED MONSTERS TO REST IN.” Papyrus offers his input, and you start to picture how it will look. Not bad, just gotta space everything out correctly, and the main sleeping area would probably be a bears paradise.

“Sounds good, Love. If you could measure for three of these chairs, I’ll get the measurements for the couch sorted out.” You turn to the pieces of wood, completely missing the tangerine blush that overtakes Papyrus’ cheeks at the nickname. For a while, the two of you work in a companionable silence, and you manage to cut all of the pieces you need before a searing pain shoots through your hand.

Little droplets of blood dribble down your hand from the cut, and you blink hard a few times to keep the tears out of your eyes. Papyrus seems to notice your discomfort and glances over, only to gasp when he sees the wound you’re now sporting.

“DEAREST! WHAT HAPPENED? DO YOU NEED TO GO TO A HOSPITAL? OH MY… WHAT CAN I DO TO HELP?” He frets even as you take your pack off your shoulders and start rifling around inside it.

“It’s okay, Pappy. Just a little cut. Do you know how to apply bandages?” You question the taller monster and he nods. You finally manage to extract some wrappings from your bag and hold them out to him. Papyrus gently takes the clean cloths and pulls your hurt hand closer to his chest, closely examining it before expertly wrapping your hand.

Even after you’re fully wrapped up, Papyrus holds your hand close to his chest, as if afraid you’ll disappear once his hold is gone. After a while, he pulls your hand to his teeth and taps a gentle kiss to the back of it, then lets you go.

“Heh… Thanks, for, um, wrapping my hand.” You blush a little at your stutter, but Papyrus just smiles more brightly. You let him pull you back up to your feet and the two of you resume your work. You pay better attention to where you put your hands this time, but everytime you look at the cloth around your injured hand, you can’t help but feel a flood of warmth rush to your cheeks.

~

As soon as Sans spots your injured hand, there’s no helping you out of his clutches. He immediately guides you further into the house and starts fretting over the injury, reapplying the bandages, making sure the wound is cleaned, and stuffing healing items into your hands to help the injury heal faster.

“I’m fine Sans, I swear! I’m not gonna die!” You try to placate him, but your words just send him into more of a tizzy. You look over at Alphys, who’s been watching everything unfold with mirth in her gaze. When she notices your pleading look, she just shrugs her shoulders.

“L-let him h-help you. H-he’s only got one HP, s-so he’s r- _really_ conscious of when the p-people he loves g-get hurt.” Alphys tells you when she’s sure Sans is out of earshot. Said skeleton returns only a few moments later and you are left to wonder about the meaning in her words. Only one HP? Does that mean, if he gets hit even once, he’ll… Die?

You carefully withdraw your hands from his hold, now cautious of your strength. You know it’s stupid to start being careful now, everything considered. You’re sure you’ve hit him, however accidentally it may have been. It’s not like you have the biggest house! You’re bound to bump into people, Sans included. But knowing what you do now, how can he be so casual about walking around? How can he bump into people and not immediately start panicking?

“babe? what’s wrong?” Sans asks, and it sounds like he’s asked the question a few times. You could just avoid the question, but this feels like something you should discuss more thoroughly. You’re in a relationship now, it’s best to communicate, and not avoid the hard questions.

“You only have one HP?”

“w- um, yeah, on bad days. Sometimes, monster’s HP can go up, like if they’re feeling particularly hopeful, or if they’ve gotten a lot of sleep. BUt my base HP can only go up to three points.” Sans rubs the back of his neck nervously, and you follow the motion before nodding in understanding. So he really can get hurt easily. Then why would he ever risk being around you? Aren’t human souls supposed to be more powerful than Monster souls?

“i trust you.” He answers your unasked question and you quickly snap your gaze to meet his own. His eyelights are kind of fuzzy around the edges and he refuses to move his gaze from your own.

“you would never hurt me intentionally. you’re not that type of person. and, well, intentions are everything when it comes to monsters. you would only be able to hurt me if you really intended to.” He explains, gaze unwavering. At some point during your conversation, Alphys made a quiet escape, so it’s only the two of you in the room.

“So I can’t hurt you unless I mean to? It won't hurt you if I bump into you or anything, right?” You ask as you begin leaning forwards. Sans follows your actions and places his bony hands over yours, the sensation strange but not uncomfortable.

“nope. in fact, you could probably kiss me and i would thank you for it.” Sans winks, but his words are a clear invitation. You chuckle at his forwardness and place a quick peck to his cheek. Before you can go any further, the door slams open and you pull away, though not quick enough, seeing as though Undyne’s eye is glittering in clear excitement.

“C’mon lovebirds, dinner’s ready! Papyrus made it, so I’m sure you’ll LOVE it!” She shouts before closing the door. You and Sans share a look before shrugging and waltzing towards the door to meet up with the others for dinner. When you get to the dining table, Papyrus places a nuzzle to the top of your head, which makes your cheeks burn, and all of the other monsters begin laughing at your embarrassment.

~

Weeks pass in a similar cycle, until Bluff bursts down the door and claims the building is finally done and ready. All of the monster cheer and dinner that night is filled with the best food you could make and roaring laughter from all parties. The group begins to make plans on who to take out of the Underground next, and you begin prepping to use a surplus of magic the next day. Sans and Papyrus cheer you on as you eat more than your fill of monster food, then take you to bed where you promptly knock out. Despite the warmth and excitement of the day, you dream of people watching you from the shadows of your forest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Sans: hey, uh, what's with the bubble wrap?  
> You: It's for your protection. *proceeds to wrap everything and everyone*
> 
> Next Chapter: Escape Artist
> 
> Man i love ending things with eerie warnings. Anyway~ Sorry for the long wait. I get nervous when I write fluff ;;  
> I just want it to be perfect, y'know? If you guys have any questions, feel free to reach out to me on my [Tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/punnypearlpeppermint) and I'll gladly hear you out! 'Till next time~


	20. Escape Artist

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which you try to take monsters out of the Underground

You wake up feeling… Slightly sick. It doesn’t feel like the flu or a cold of any kind. Just… Sick. Your stomach turns as you maneuver out of your bed and it feels like a huge effort to even get through your morning routine. Maybe you ate too much last night.

The monsters don’t even seem to notice your mood as breakfast is filled with excited chatter. Everyone seems excited to pull the next wave of monsters from the Underground. You’re excited too, of course, but you can’t help the churning feeling in your stomach. Only Sans seems to notice anything is wrong as he takes you to the side while everyone begins gathering their supplies for the day.

“you okay, babe? we don’t have to do this today if you aren’t feeling well.” He’s completely serious when he talks. You feel like if you tell him you don’t want to go out today, he’ll make sure to shut the whole thing down until you’re feeling better. But, somehow, the thought of staying home for the day makes you feel even worse.

“It’s true that I’m not feeling well… But it’s probably just a stomach ache from all the food I ate last night. I’m sure it’ll go away with a little exercise.” You assure, but Sans doesn’t look convinced. Still, he relents when you send him a pleading look, and shrugs before walking away to gather his supplies for the day.

The feeling doesn’t go away, even as you strap as many weapons as possible to your form. It does fade a little when you pull Papyrus’ shirt over your head and breath in the musky smell. Deer skins hold smells better than Fox furs, so you can still kind of smell your datemates on the piece of clothing. Even if it’s just a small comfort, anything is better than nothing, and you decide to keep it on as the group of monsters files out of your house.

Fluff slips her arm through yours as you walk, apparently feeling your anxiety enough to offer some casual conversation. She tells you about her date with Wolf, how the two of them went out to the edge of the lake to do some stargazing. You smile along as her story drones on and add your own commentary occasionally. Eventually, the feeling in your gut fades, and you can begin telling her your own stories from the past few weeks.

“...And then he chugged the whole thing! Can you believe it? What a goober.” You chuckle and watch as Sans’ shoulders shake with his own mirth. Fluff gives him a disgusted look before turning to give you a disbelieving look.

“I just don’t understand how he got someone as great as you.”  
“He makes me laugh.” You shrug before a wide grin splits your lips.

“And he’s good for my resistance training. You try lugging a skeleton through the snow and mud while simultaneously chasing some game animals.” You joke. Fluff laughs at the imagery and the rest of the trip is spent telling funny stories about past experiences.

You finally reach the frozen-over lake and walk upon it. The ice doesn’t creak at your weight, which is a good thing. You weren’t sure if it would keep its frozen nature with the warmth of spring beating down on it, but luckily your fears were unfounded.

“It looks clear enough to send one of you down… Undyne, you ready?” You question the fish monster, who nods enthusiastically before taking your hand. Together, the two of you pound the ice with your conjoined hands, and soon the ice is falling away with a loud crack, along with the resounding echo.

Undyne slips from your grip and hops down into the Underground. Your group holds their breath as you wait for the signal that she is well, and you collectively let out a sigh of relief when a bright cyan spear hits the invisible barrier before bouncing right back off.

“Looks like she’s fine… Now we just have to wait for her to gather the designated group, then we can all head to the base.” You tell the group of monsters, and each of them seem enthusiastic about the news. The monsters all settle into their own little groups, Lesser Dog, Bluff, Fluff and Wolf gathering into a circle formation, Alphys and Asgore turning to eachother to talk, and you, Sans and Papyrus hovering around the hole that leads into the Underground.

“I’m glad we’re finally here. It’s been a long time coming.” You sigh as your eyes drag across the expense of forest in front of you. Something still feels off, but you decide to push the feeling away for the time being.

“INDEED IT HAS. I HOPE, AFTER A WHILE, WE’LL FINALLY BE ABLE TO INTEGRATE WITH THE HUMANS.” You nod along with Papyrus’s words, but your attention is still on the forest.

“babe? you sure you’re alright? you’ve been staring off into space all day.” Sans sounds worried, which is enough to rouse you from your fifty-yard stare. Your eyes snap to his, but just as they do, the hairs on the back of your neck raise.

“GET DOWN!” You shout and lunge for the skeletons in front of you. The three of you land in a heap on the floor, but you could care less as you feel… Something zip just above your head.

The following sounds of gunshots reach your ears and you are soon rolling of the brothers to reach for your bow and arrows.

“Guys, as much as I hate to say this, I need you to jump into the hole.” You shout behind you as you notch an arrow and send it flying. It hits something, if the resounding thunk is anything to go by, and you’re soon rewarded with a shout of pain.

“no way! we’re not leaving you here.” Sans sounds livid and you can feel the crackle of magic behind you.

“That wasn’t a request Sans! Get in the damn hole.” You bark, though you don’t look back to see if your orders have been followed. You zero in on another movement and send your next arrow, receiving another grunt of pain. There are more opponents out there than arrows in your quiver, and as much as you loathe to admit it, you get the feeling you’re not getting out of here unscathed.

Even so, you resolve to not give up without a Fight. You’re Determined to help your friends. You’re Determined to make sure they make it out of here unharmed. If that means they’re damned to more time spent Underground, then so be it.

Another shot is fired your way, which you are able to dodge, but only barely. You let out a low growl and unlatch your rifle from its sheath before loading it up and firing. You’ve never been much of a gun person, but you learned a few tricks from your friend. You manage to hit three targets before your head begins to ring. Okay, not doing that again.

You turn slightly to see how many monsters are left. Fluff is just barely leaning down to get into the hole, while Sans and Papyrus are helping her down. Okay, you can keep going until they get down.

You turn back, only to see three burly humans charging your way. You chuck your rifle at one of them, cracking them over the head and causing them to go down. You reach for your hunting knife next and manage to get up close to one of the humans, enough to knock them over the head with the bunt of your knife, taking them out as well. Unfortunately, you aren’t fast enough to dodge the attack from the next human, and you are left with a searing wound on your head.

“O-Ohhhh, big mistake, buddy.” You snarl and send a swift kick to their shin, cracking the bone there instantly. The human falls to the ground and begins screaming in pain, but your eyes hold no mercy as you kick them once more, causing their head to meet the icy ground with a sickening crunch.

You turn back to the hole to see Sans and Papyrus looking at you with concern. You reach up and feel the sting of your new wound but ignore it in favor of walking over to the skeletons, making sure they’re okay, and that they’re doing what you asked of them.

“Ple- Please go into the Underground. I promise- I -hah- I _promise_ I will be back for you. N-No matter how long it takes, _I will find you again_. So, please… Please leave.” You taste bile in the back of your throat, but still, you keep your gaze locked on their own. They know you would never lie to them, especially about something as important as this, so they simply nod and begin to clamber into the hole. At the last second, just as you’re about to turn your attention back to the fight, bony hands latch onto your own.

“STAY SAFE, PLEASE.”

“and keep your promise.”

You give a simple nod, place a kiss on both of their foreheads, then turn away and begin to trek into the forest.

Blood sweat and tears trail down your cheeks as you walk, but you’re Determined to continue forward. After all, there’s only one person who could organize such a huge raid into your forest, and you aren’t feeling as forgiving as the last time they did shit like this.

~~~

Along your walk, you manage to incapacitate a few more humans, each caught off-guard by your quick reflexes and use of your surroundings to avoid detection. Finally, after sneaking through your own forest (as if you don’t belong here… as if you’re an animal to be hunted…) you make it to the Monster’s new building. Standing on the threshold is a familiar bear fur coat.

“Father.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *The Humans: Why do you keep saying fight and determination like that?  
> You: What's wrong with the way I say Fight and Determination?
> 
> Next Chapter: Fox on the run
> 
> Ahh this felt nice. Cathartic, even. I've been wanting to write this chapter for FOREVER. And now that it's finally out... My soul feels at peace.


	21. Fox On The Run

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which you and your dear old dad have a talk

The pounding in your head was worse than what people would like you to believe. ‘The pounding of a drum’ all of the books say. No, this was more like a behemoth had decided to stomp on your head a few times, just to add a little spice to its life.

Regardless, you stare down the man you call a father, a coldly calculating look on your face as you gather all of the misdeeds you’re sure he’s going to ‘judge’ you for. As if he has any right to talk.

You know he doesn’t have shit on you. This forest is in your name, passed down through your mothers will and made so you could do whatever the hell you wanted to it. The only requirement was to keep the forest and its inhabitants safe. On that note, your father waltzing in here and making a ruckus, invading your land and setting off firearms without the required permit is very much illegal. Point one to you.

The second thing he could judge you for is housing illegal immigrants. Except, they aren’t immigrants. They’ve lived here longer than anyone, and considering the native Americans couldn’t be expelled from their home country, it would be unconstitutional to kick the monsters out. Another point to you.

The last thing he could judge you on, and honestly the stupidest thing, is your choice of wardrobe. Amending the fact that you’re wearing a deer skin over your other clothes, you take the shirt off and tie it around your waist, leaving your regular fox skin poncho on top. There. Problem solved. Three points to you.

Your father, meanwhile? Oh, he’s in hot shit. Invading private property, bringing a hunting party to a sanctioned area, allowing members of his party to harm innocent civilians, and to top it all off, you’re pretty sure he’s about to do something stupid, if the rifle resting comfortably in his hand is anything to go by.

All this said and done, you’re not heartless. This man did raise you, and you have morals. The very least you can offer him is a fighting chance.

“Come on, pops. You know this is a hopeless battle. All of the evidence points to you being the villain of this story, and honestly, I'm inclined to believe. So drop your weapon and stand down. If you do, I'll make sure the court doesn’t rule you and your band of delinquents too harshly.” You send him a grimance that’s supposed to be a smile, but your heart isn’t really in it, and all of your brain power is going towards the plan concocting in the back of your mind.

“Sure, kiddo, ‘cause you’re totally some sort of law abiding citizen.” He scoffs, which only makes your lips quirk up a little more. You were hoping he’d fight you on this.

“I mean, even if they did try me for every wrong doing I’ve done, it would never rack up to the amount of time you should be serving in jail. Come on, we both know you’ve got innocent human blood on your hands, and if that rifle by your side isn’t enough evidence, I’ve got plenty of other… trinkets to prove your guilt.” You lean back against a tree, your stance casual, but your shoulders are tight, ready to help you push off the tree at a moment's notice.

“You’re bluffing. If you actually had evidence, you’d have put me in jail by now.” Your father claims.

“C’mon, Pops, you know me better than that. I don’t lie- and I don’t fabricate evidence. If you wanna know the reason behind me not turning you in the answer is simple- I had no reason to until you decided to attack me in my own forest, and try to harm innocent bystanders. Now get off your idiotic high horse and face me like a man!” You shout, which garners the desired action from your wide bodied father. He ambles away from the building and raises his gun, clearly intent on hitting you where it hurts. Maybe he’ll go for a headshot. Maybe he’ll take out your mobility first, then do away with you while you’re incapacitated. It doesn’t really matter, seeing as though you’re already taking off through the forest.

Your father may be strong, but he’s slow and stiff. He spends most of his days at his stupid hunters guild, counting cheques and butchering game. He can’t keep up with your speed and agility, and he never could, even when you were younger. Not to mention you know this forest like the back of your hand. He has no hope of chasing you down.

Which is why you expect it when he starts firing at random, trying to draw you out, or to land a hit. You purposely stay around the Monster’s building, knowing Alphys set up cameras to watch any disturbances in the woods, and you’re sure there’s now recorded footage of your father shooting at you. Now all you gotta do is trap him until you can get some authorities on the scene.

You veer to the left, allowing the trees to block your father’s view of you. He lets out a growl and you hear his heavy steps approach your location. You wait for him to get closer, then take off a little ways, playing a game of cat and mouse and you rush forward, backtracking a couple times to fake him out, then continue forward. Your actions may seem completely random to anyone watching, but there’s method in each step you take.

Your eyes catch on a pile of muddied snow and you quickly throw your body against the closest tree, watching as fresh powder covers the old snow and fills in your tracks. A wicked grin splits your lips as you hear your father’s ambling steps approach and you quickly scale the conifer you’d just rammed. Just as you make it to the branch you were aiming for, your father bursts from behind a bush, observing the freshly upturned snow and the prints you left behind. He glares up at the tree, locking eyes with you, but you know you’re out of his shooting range, at least for another few steps.

And that’s all you need.

Your father takes a few steps forward, cautious of your poised position and apparent ease. Finally, he walks over where you know the muddied snow to be, and just as you had planned, the man in the bear coat falls.

There’s the sound of skidding and cursing as your father attempts to break his own fall. The tell-tale clatter of metal tells you he dropped his rifle in order to keep himself steady. You jump from the branch you were lounging on and hover over the hole. Shadows cross over your face and somehow, you feel like your mom is looking over your shoulder as you look down at the man who helped conceive you.

“You iditoic- When I get back up there, you’re gonna have another thing coming! Mark my words, Kitsune, you won’t ever get the chance to pull this shit again!” The man bellows, his face contorted with rage. You keep your gaze neutral as you watch him begin to scale the wall. It’s with immense glee that you watch him reach the top of the hole, only to be bounced back at the last second and sent back to the dirt covered floor.

“Want to try again?” You offer, this time reaching your hand out as if to help him up. He growls at you and begins clawing his way back up, this time batting your hand away before reaching for the ledge. He is again sent scrawling and you can’t help the laughter that bubbles out of your throat.

“C’mon pops. You can’t be that dumb. I’ve gotten a lot of retrospection on my childhood lately, and I know for a fact you at least knew of moms powers. Do you seriously not know what’s going on here? Or should I spell it out for you?” The mans face flickers through a few emotions- rage, spite, confusion, betrayal, then finally, fear.

“I- I can’t be in the Underground! That’s not possible! There’s only one opening- Only one way in! There’s no way- Unless… You made this hole, didn’t you?! I knew you mages were bad news!” He shouts, and you let out a curious hum. Only one entrance to the Underground, huh? Is it the lake? Or is there some other way in?

“Wrong on both fronts, old man. There are countless entrances to the Underground in this forest, and I have nothing to do with most of them.”

“Most?” He questions, but you ignore it in turn for your own question.

“Why did you attack me?” You ask and lower to the floor, content to watch him struggle for the time being. You already contacted the village on your emergency device, the authorities would be in your forest in less than an hour.

“You were going to complete your mothers stupid prophecy. I couldn’t let that happen.” He states matter-of-factly.

“Prophecy?”

“She used to say… A fox would go into the Underground and destroy what her Ancestors worked so hard to make. Monsters would roam the land and the old world would melt away.” Huh. Sounds like something she would say. You honestly can’t see how any of that could be bad. Monsters deserved to roam free, and you’re pretty sure by ‘old world’ your mom meant the terrible government put in place.

“Cool. And you think she meant me?”

“Most certainly. Who else is a fox with the power to take beings in and out of the Underground?” He states rhetorically, but you can’t help but correct him.

“I mean, Mom and I were alive at the same time. Who’s to say there isn’t another fox out there with the power to help the monsters out?” Your own words register in your mind and you’re suddenly thinking of a past event - The Fox Hunt.

“Wait… Is that why… It’s your fault all of those foxes got taken out of commission! I bet you only kept me out of trouble because you felt guilty!” You accuse, and the heat of your anger makes your head ring. Right. You’re still injured. Don’t get too angry.

“Don’t blame your people’s faults on me. It was their actions that landed them in the slammer.” He defends, but you’re really not up for hearing his twisted words.

“Don’t lie to me. I know you. You couldn’t stand Mom’s last words coming true, so you rallied all the villagers and convinced them to lock up the foxes. Not like it was hard, we already had a bad rap. You just had to stoke the flames and didn’t realize your own child would be brought into the fray.” You begin clumping snow together into a tentative snowman.

“From there, you stopped your rallying and instead focused on keeping me safe. Of course, the damage was already done, and we went our separate ways. And now I’m here, and you’re down there. Funny how life works, innit?” You let out a dry chuckle. The sound of footsteps reaches your ears and relief blooms somewhere in your heart. If you don’t think about it too much, you could almost mistake the steps for Sans and Papyrus, rushing to get you out of the cold and inside for lunch. Unfortunately, when you turn to address the people coming your way, you are met with authoritative looks and sneers.

“Hello officers. Thank you for your quick response times. I’ll pull this man up and give my statement at the station.” You state in your best authoritative voice, which ends up being pretty good, considering both men take a step back as you reach into the hole and hoist your dad up. To his credit, the man doesn’t even fight your efforts and goes limp in your hold.

“Thank you for your compliance, Kit. Now, how about you put your hands behind your back. Everything you say can and will be used against you in the court of law.” Huh. That’s… Not how this conversation is supposed to go.

“What?”

Rather than answer your question, the officer lifts a familiar shirt. One made of deer skin and tentative leather strings. Your dad belts out a laugh at the deadpan look you throw at the officers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You: Wears a shirt  
> The Villagers: Fashion Faux! Go to jail! Do not pass go! Do not collect $200. 
> 
> Next Chapter: Wolf in Sheep's Clothing
> 
> Hahaha... Man I love this story. If you guys have any questions or suggestions, feel free to reach out to me on my [Tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/punnypearlpeppermint)! 'Till next time~

**Author's Note:**

> This is just a fun little side project that I'll update in my free time. Hope you guys enjoy!


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